DRAFT NATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR RAMPS AND FORCING YARDS
The Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association (ALRTA) invites public comment on the draft ‘Guide for Safe Design of Livestock Loading Ramps and Forcing Yards’.
The purpose of the voluntary guide is to promote safer workplaces for people in contact with livestock loading facilities and to improve animal welfare outcomes.
Legislation requires that workplace safety risks be controlled as far as is reasonably practicable. Australian Animal Welfare Standards require livestock handling facilities be constructed, maintained and operated in a way that minimises risks to the welfare of livestock.
The guide is a tool to assist in the assessment of existing facilities and aid in the design of proposed new facilities. It summarises the potential hazards of livestock loading ramps and forcing yards and practical examples of ways to control associated risks for different types of facilities.
General principles are identified as well as a series of model ramp designs (ranging from low-cost basic designs for farms to more advanced commercial designs) that adhere to the guidelines.
The material has been developed in close consultation with key stakeholders in the livestock supply chain including producers, transporters, feedlots, saleyards, exporters, equipment manufacturers, welfare groups and safety authorities. The ALRTA now invites all stakeholders to consider and comment on the draft guide.
The ALRTA is aiming to launch a final version of the guide at the joint National and State Conference to be held at the Light House Beach Resort, Bunbury WA, 3-4 July 2015.
Key Information:
- Download the ‘Guide for Safe Design of Livestock Loading Ramps and Forcing Yards’
- Download the Media Release Draft Ramps Guidelines
- The public consultation period closes on 3 June 2015.
- Comments can be sent to: office@alrta.org.au
If you would like more information please contact the ALRTA Executive Director, Mathew Munro, on 0421 082 489 or mathew@alrta.org.au.