Avian Influenza Regulations - Bird Flu
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IN THIS ISSUE |
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WELCOME |
Please note that this is an update on last month's article -
we have not re-published the same article by mistake.
The threat of Avian Influenza or Bird Flu is still with us and the government is not standing still on the issue. In fact they have recently published regulations that are specifically targeted at bringing any suspected outbreak under control as quickly as possible.
The implications of these regulations could affect any one of us but they are particularly targeted at those businesses that keep significant numbers of birds in captivity, whether they be domesticated birds – poultry, ducks, geese, etc – or birds kept for other reasons such as races, shows or competitions.
Whoever we are, if we have any responsibility for birds or if there is any likelihood that we might come into contact with them (whether in captivity or in the wild), then we need to be aware of the government’s plans.
You can view last month's Article on Bird Flu at:
http://www.edp-uk.com/newsletters/birdflu.htm
On a rather different note, being the December issue of our newsletter, I need to remind you about safety over Christmas - a time that brings its own attendant hazards.
We have written about the risks associated with Christmas celebrations on a couple of previous occasions, so if you have any doubts about the safety of your employees and your business, it may be worth doing a review now. You can read the articles at:
So, whatever your plans, we hope that your Christmas and New Year will be everything you want it to be - totally enjoyable and without any unpleasant surprises.
David Skews, (CEO)
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AVIAN INFLUENZA REGULATIONS - BIRD FLU |
Following on from the subject of our last e-mail newsletter, namely “Avian Influenza” – more commonly referred to by the term “Bird Flu”, specific legal Regulations are now in operation, covering the preventative measures that must be put in place.
Regulations are now in force that apply specifically to England and there are equivalent regulations for Scotland. The text of both sets of regulations can accessed from the legal pages of our website at
http://www.edp-uk.com/law_regulations.htm
There are additional regulations in place that apply to very specific situations, such as zoos
Essentially, the regulations place duties on the Secretary of State to assess the risks associated with the possible transmission of bird flu and put precautions in place to manage those risks.
We all need to take close interest in the regulations since whatever the Secretary of State decides to do by way of precautions will inevitably affect everyone else in one way or another.
Evaluating the Risks
Essentially, the Secretary of State is responsible for monitoring the potential for transmission of the bird flu virus from wild birds to domestic, poultry or other birds that are kept in captivity.
Once the level of risk is considered sufficient to justify specific preventative actions, the Secretary or State (or more precisely an inspector operating on behalf of the Secretary of State) may:
- either declare a geographical area of the country (which could be the whole country) to be an “Avian Influenza Prevention Zone"
- and/or serve a restriction notice on any premises where captive birds are kept
Effect of the Restrictions
Essentially the restrictions have a number of aims that may be summarised as:
- Prevent contact between captive birds, poultry etc with wild birds, which includes avoiding contamination of the food and water provided for captive birds
- Avoid cross-contamination between different types of birds such as domestic ducks or geese with other kinds of poultry
- Identify possible infections by monitoring birds for indicative signs such as changes in their food or water intake, drop in egg production or increased mortality rate. Such changes must be notified to the Secretary of State.
- Protect birds from accidental (or deliberate) infection – biosecurity - for example through people carrying infection from one premises to another were birds are kept.
- Restricting the collecting together of birds at markets or shows.
Powers of Inspection
In order to enforce such restrictions, commercial poultry keepers who have more than 50 birds must keep comprehensive written records about the birds themselves and the premises in which they are kept. In addition, the regulations provide inspectors with powers to enter and inspect any premises to check for compliance with the regulations and to access written and computerised records associated with the premises.
You can access the full text of the regulations from the legal pages of our website at
http://www.edp-uk.com/law_regulations.htm
Hopefully we will never have to implement the provisions of these regulations, but for those who might be directly affected, it is as well to be informed and prepared.
If your business is affected by these regulations and you are unsure what the full implications might be, we can undertake appropriate risk assessments for you and identify the necessary precautions you need to put in place to protect your employees and to comply with your legal duties. Call us for a no obligation quotation.
See edpFRAMEWORK for a broader perspective on Managing Health & Safety
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LEGAL MONITOR |
The main article in this issue is concerned entirely with the new Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Regulations that the government introduced in October 2005.
You can access these new regulations from the legal pages of our website at
http://www.edp-uk.com/law_regulations.htm
View anticipated Changes to Health & Safety Law. Then decide how you might be affected and if you need to make changes in preparation.
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David Skews, (CEO)
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EDP Health Safety & Environment Consultants Ltd
Lakeside, Alexandra Park, Prescot Road, St. Helens, Merseyside, UK
Telephone: +44(0)1744 766000
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