Work Health and Safety Policy

Purpose. This policy states Silverstride's commitment to the health and safety of everyone who works on or visits its properties and race day sites.

1.Commitment

Working with racehorses carries real risk of crush, kick, fall and strike injuries. Silverstride will provide safe systems of work, safe yards and stables, suitable equipment and training so that every person goes home uninjured. Safety will never be traded for time, a race or a sale.

2.Scope

This policy applies to all employees, contractors, work experience students, riders, drivers and visitors at Cranbourne, Nagambie and Melton, and to staff attending trials, race meetings and sales off site.

3.Key hazards

The business has identified its principal hazards and controls them through procedures, equipment and supervision. Every new hazard must be reported through the Incident and Hazard Register.

• Horse handling: kicks, bites, crush and being dragged
• Trackwork riding and driving falls
• Loading and transport of horses
• Manual handling of feed, bedding and water
• Zoonotic disease and needle stick injury
• Fatigue from early starts and race day travel
• Vehicles, floats and tractors on the properties

4.Personal protective equipment

Riders and drivers must wear an approved helmet and body protector whenever mounted or in a sulky. Stable staff must wear safety boots and a helmet when handling any horse in a stable, on a lead or in a float. Gloves must be worn for leading young horses and stallions.

5.Responsibilities

Managers will provide the equipment, training and supervision needed to work safely. Workers must follow procedures, wear the required equipment, report hazards and incidents on the day they happen and take reasonable care of themselves and others.

6.Consultation and review

Safety matters will be raised at the fortnightly toolbox talk on each property and at the quarterly safety committee. This policy will be reviewed annually or after any serious incident.