Safe animal carcass handling after floods 

Burial of animal carcasses is sometimes necessary to manage biosecurity and public health risks. Before moving any deceased animals, it is important to consider worker safety.

There are several bacterial diseases in water, wet soil and carcasses that can cause serious diseases in humans. Reduce the risk of infection by:

• providing and wearing the right safety gear — gloves, rubber or leather boots, long clothing, and eye and respiratory protection
• minimising direct handling of carcasses
• using machines to help lift or move carcasses when you can
• washing your hands well with soap and water afterward.

During animal carcass disposal where trenches are used businesses and workers are reminded:

• An un-shored trench with near vertical sides could collapse at any time. The risk of collapse will increase as mobile plant or carcasses move into the ‘zone of influence’.
• Operator should remain in the cabin. Workers should not walk near the carcasses or within the zone of influence of open excavations.
• Deep trenches should ideally be dug with earthmoving plant where the operator’s cabin remains above ground. An excavator with a long boom and dipper arm will be better than a loader or dozer to dig a trench. If a loader or dozer is entering a deep trench and the entire machine is below ground level, battering should be used on the trench sides.
• Cabins on earthmoving plant should be provided with a ROPS (rollover protective structure).
• A dozer or loader will be the safest mobile plant to push the carcasses into the trench. When carcasses are being pushed into the trench, approach at right angles so that the plant will not roll if the trench collapses. If the trench collapses, the operator should attempt to reverse away from the trench.
• When pushing carcasses into a trench, once the blade or bucket reaches the edge of the trench the machine should start to reverse.

Find out more about the disposal of animal carcasses and read the safety considerations when trenching to bury carcasses fact sheet (PDF, 0.58 MB)