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CATTLE YARDS - FACILITY AUDIT CHECKLIST
Yard Name:
Audit Date:
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/
Audit Team:
AUDIT CHECKLIST
ACT
NOW
ACT
ASAP
OK
PLAN / CONTROL
YARDING UP AREA & RECEIVING YARDS
1. Is yarding up area clear of obstacles and the surface and
terrain suitable for horse and motorbike work?
2. Does the layout fences, wings and receiving yards
encourage cattle to draw into the yards/
3. Are receiving yards large enough for the mobs sizes to be
handled?
4. Are the yards sound, secure and capable of holding all the
classes of cattle to be handled?
5. Are all gates sound, swing outwards and can be secured
properly in both open and closed positions?
6. Are gate latches mounted at an appropriate height, of a
design that doesn’t create pinch or crush points and well
maintained?
7. Are there any projections such as nails, cobb & co’s or
bolts, which may injure humans or animals?
8. Are there any dug out or boggy areas that might interfere
with yarding up?
FORCING AND DRAFTING YARDS
9. Do the yards have blind spots or areas where stock flow is
restricted or cattle baulk?
10. Are the yards sound, secure and capable of holding all the
classes of stock to be handled/
11. Are all gates sound, swing outward and can be secured
properly in both open and closed positions?
12. Are gate latches mounted at an appropriate height, of a
design that doesn’t create pinch or crush points and well
maintained?
13. Are there any projections such as nails, cobb & co’s or
bolts, which may injure humans or animals?
14. Do the drafting and forcing yards have a safe area or
effective escape route for the drafter?
15. Are the yards clear of obstacles and are the surfaces
suitable for working on foot and clear of any dug our or
boggy areas that might interfere with yard work?
16. Does the gate into round yard swing easily and is it able to
be quickly secured?
ROUND YARD
17. Is the yard of an appropriate size and height for the
classes of stock being handled?
18. Are there any projections, such as nails, cobb & co’s or
bolts, which may injure humans or animals?
Cattle Yards Facility Audit Checklist
Page 1 of 5
ACT
NOW
ACT
ASAP
OK
PLAN / CONTROL
19. Is the yard clear of obstacles and are the surfaces suitable
for working on foot and clear of any dug our or boggy
areas that might interfere with yard work?
20. Does the round yard have a safe area or effective escape
route for those drafting?
21. Are all exit gates of an appropriate size, sound, swing
easily and can be secured properly/
22. Are gate latches mounted at an appropriate height, of a
design that doesn’t create pinch or crush points and well
maintained?
FORCING PEN
23. Is the forcing pen of an appropriate shape, size and height
for the classes of stock being handled?
24. Is the forcing pen sound and secure, with no projections,
which may injure humans or animals?
25. Are the forcing pen gates sound, swing easily and can be
secured properly in both open and closed positions?
26. Are the gate latches mounted at an appropriate height, of
a design that doesn’t create pinch or crush points and well
maintained?
27. Is the yard clear of obstacles and is the surface suitable
for working on foot and clear of any dug out or boggy
areas that might interfere with yard work?
28. Does the forcing pen have a safe area or effective escape
route for those ground working the stock?
29. Does the forcing pen have blind spots or areas where
stock flow is restricted or cattle bulk?
RACE
30. Is the race height and width and rail spacing appropriate
for the classes of cattle being handled?
31. Does the rail spacing allow safe access to animals for
tasks to be undertaken, such as vaccinating and bang
tailing?
32. Is the race sound and secure, with no projections, which
may injure humans or animals?
33. Are the race and gate caps secure and at a safe working
height so as not to interfere with handlings operations?
34. Are all sliding gates sound, easily operated, can be
effectively secured and will not fly open if kicked or hit
hard?
35. Are there any excessive gaps between the slide gates and
support posts, which could be nip or crush points?
36. Can rails be removed to release animals, which might go
down or become injured?
37. Is there any dusty, dug out or boggy areas in or beside the
race that could interfere with operations?
CRUSH
38. Is the crush design and size appropriate for the classes of
cattle being handled and tasks undertaken?
39. Can the crush effectively restrain animals and allow safe
access for the tasks to be undertaken?
40. Is the crush sound and secure, with no projections, which
may injure humans or animals?
41. Do gates and head bails operate properly in capturing and
securing stock and do not fly open when kicked or hit
hard?
42. Can animals that go down or become jammed be quickly
released with little risk of injury to the animal and/or the
operator?
43. Is the crush, gates, bail and latches free of nip or crush
points?
44. Do exit yards allow processed animals to clear from the
work area and settle down where they pose no threat to
operators and/or equipment?
Cattle Yards Facility Audit Checklist
Page 2 of 5
ACT
NOW
ACT
ASAP
OK
PLAN / CONTROL
45. Is the crush work area free of projection, slipping, tripping
or falling dangers?
46. Is there any dusty, dug out or boggy areas in front of, or
around, the crush?
CALF PEN, RACE AND CRADLE
47. Is the calf pen of an appropriate shape, size and height for
the stock being worked?
48. Does the calf pen have blind spots or areas where stock
flow is restricted or cattle baulk?
49. Do gates and head bails operate properly in capturing and
securing calves and do not fly open when kicked or hit
hard?
50. Are there any dust, boggy or dug out areas in the calf pen,
in the race or in front of, or around the cradle?
51. Is the race height and width and rail spacing appropriate
for the class of calves being handled?
52. Does the rail spacing allow easy access to animals for
tasks to be undertaken like vaccinating or bang-tailing?
53. Is the cradle, crush, gates, bail and latches free of nip or
crush points?
54. Can animals that go down or become jammed be quickly
released with little risk of injury to the animal and/or the
operator?
55. Does the calf cradle operate efficiently and restrain
animals effectively, allowing safe access for the tasks to
be undertaken?
56. Is the general work area free of projection, slipping,
tripping or falling dangers which may injure humans or
animals?
57. Are gas cylinders and branding furnaces properly secured
and the area around them clear of flammable materials?
58. Do exit yards allow processed calves to clear from the
cradle area and settle down where they pose no threat to
operators and equipment?
LOADING RACE AND RAMP
59. Does the forcing pen, race or loading ramp have blind
spots or areas where stock flow is restricted or cattle
baulk?
60. Are the loading race and ramp gates sound, swing or slide
easily and can be secured properly in both open and
closed positions?
61. Is the race and ramp height and width and rail spacing
appropriate for the stock being handled and allows safe
access to animals?
62. Is the race and ramp sound and secure, with no
projections, breakaways or holes that might injure humans
or animals?
63. Does the ramp have an apron of 1-1.5m at the end to
allow the opening and closing of truck gates?
64. Is there a sliding gate at the top of the ramp to secure
animals on the truck once loaded?
65. Are sound, appropriately sized gates attached to each side
of the end of the ramp, equipped with chains so they can
be secured to the truck?
66. Does the ramp have a catwalk of 0.5m minimum width on
at least one side of the ramp?
67. Are the ramp and gate caps secure and at a safe working
height so as not to interfere with handling operations?
68. Are all sliding gates sound, easily operated, can be
effectively secured and will not fly open if kicked or hit
hard?
69. Are there any excessive gaps between the slide gates and
support posts, which could be nip or crush points?
Cattle Yards Facility Audit Checklist
Page 3 of 5
ACT
NOW
ACT
ASAP
OK
PLAN / CONTROL
70. Can rails be removed to release animals, which might go
down or become jammed?
71. Are there any excessively dusty, boggy or dug out areas in
front of, or around the ramp area?
DIP AND DRAINING PENS
72. Is the dip structure sound and the general work area free
of projection, slipping, tripping, or falling dangers which
may injure humans or animals?
73. Is the dip adequately shielded no chemical splashback
occurs from the plunge or the side of the dip?
74. Is the draining pen backing gate easily operated, from
outside the draining pen, without getting wet by cattle
exiting the dip?
75. Is there adequate childproof guarding that restricts
unauthorized entry to the dip, draining pits or sumps?
76. Are there any dug out or boggy areas outside the draining
pens?
LETTING GO AREA
77. Does the layout of yards, gates, wings and fences allow
cattle to be let go under control?
78. Is the turn out area clear of obstacles and the surface and
terrain suitable for horse and motorbike work?
OTHER
79. Are watering points and troughs in sound order and
situated in a position where they will not impede the safe
movement of stock?
80. Are there dust control measures in place, including an
adequate water supply for sprinkler or irrigation systems?
81. Are water pipes buried, or placed overhead so as not to
create a trip or impact hazard?
82. Are cap rails, shade trees and branches at a safe height
for riding or driving under?
83. Is there a first-aid kit provided for use at the cattle yards
when there is work being carried out?
84. Are adequate levels of PPE supplied for activities such as
branding, dipping, pregnancy testing and other animal
husbandry activities?
85. Have all staff, performing activities requiring the use of
PPE, been trained in the correct use of that PPE?
86. Are mechanical lifting devices available for moving heavy
objects (sick stock. 44’s. fence posts)?
87. Are veterinary drugs and medications, including those in
cool storage, kept separate from human foodstuffs?
88. Have workers been made aware of the risks associated
with zoonotic diseases; i.e. Leptospirosis, Q Fever,
Tetanus etc and are they vaccinated where appropriate?
89. Have dogs, where used, been routinely wormed for the
control of hydatids and other parasites that may be
transferred to humans?
90. Are the yard power circuits, where applicable, protected by
a residual current device (RCD) to prevent electrical
shock?
91. Are portable RCD units available for use with electrical
equipment when such equipment is not being used on a
protected outlet?
OTHER EMERGING HAZARDS / ISSUES
Cattle Yards Facility Audit Checklist
Page 4 of 5
MANAGEMENT COMMENTS
ACTION PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENT
WHAT IS TO BE DONE
PRIORITY
WHO
WHEN
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CHECK
LEGEND
First, identify and assess the risks (as indicated below) by placing a tick in the relevant area box above, then
decide on the best way to control the risk, by applying the Hierarchy of Controls.
ACT NOW
Do something about these risks immediately. Stop task until the hazard is controlled and
the risk managed.
ACT ASAP
Do something to manage these risks as soon as possible.
OK
Ok at the moment. Review if any work methods, procedures etc change.
PLAN / Control
Develop plan to manage these risks / note any suggestions on how the risk might be or
was managed/controlled. The hierarchy of controls can be applied here.
Elimination - remove the hazard at source
Substitution - eg. replacing one substance or activity with a less hazardous one
Isolation & Engineering - eg. installing guards on machinery
Safe Work Practices – administrative policies and procedures for safe work practice
Personal Protective Equipment - eg respirators, ear plugs
Cattle Yards Facility Audit Checklist
Page 5 of 5