Regardless of the concern, any issue in the workplace should be reported to the designated staff member, a senior member of staff or the proprietor. All incidents or minor accidents should be recorded in the incident book.
Examples of reporting:
Examples of reasons for reporting:
For serious accidents in the workplace, a full accident report form must be filled out. In specific circumstances, the manager or proprietor must submit a report to Health and Safety Executives (HSE) under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations).
Safeguarding:
Safeguarding is a concept designed to protect children, young people (under the age of 18) and vulnerable adults from harm in the workplace. This could be in the form of physical, verbal, sexual, emotional, financial abuse and neglect.
Both the British Horse Society (BHS) and British Equestrian Federation (BEF) take safeguarding and child protection extremely seriously. All riding instructors on the BHS register must attend a Safeguarding and Protecting Children Workshop and pass a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (criminal record check), both need to be updated every 3 years. Anyone in regular contact with children should also attend the workshop, and have a DBS check.
All yards where children, young people or vulnerable adults are present should have a designated staff member for whom any welfare or safeguarding issues can be addressed. A certificate from the workshop can be placed in public view as to who this/these members of staff are. In addition, a safeguarding policy booklet should be accessible to view; all members of staff should read it, and then sign a form acknowledging they have read and understood it.
To further protect and safe keep children or vulnerable adults around horses and the yard, appropriate measures and risk assessment policies must be in place regarding health and safety. All staff should be fully aware of these policies and abide by them at all times.
If a child confides in you about any safeguarding concern, or you notice abnormal behaviours or unexplained injuries it should be reported to the designated safeguarding staff member.
Health and Safety:
The main objectives for health and safety is to provide everyone with a safe and healthy environment to work in, whilst minimising their risk from harm or danger.
A risk assessment is a process in which potential risks are evaluated for individual tasks or activities performed. These risk assessments should be accessible to view; all members of staff should read them, and then sign a form acknowledging they have read and understood them. Employers should also inform staff of any additions or updates made to these policies.
Whilst it is the employer's responsibility to provide a safe environment to work in, the employee must also take reasonable and appropriate care for their own and other's health and safety. All guidelines and rules must be followed at all times and personal limitations, or those of others, (ie lifting heavy objects or handling difficult horses) must be recognised and not exceeded. Any incidents, accidents or breakages must be reported immediately to the designated staff member, a senior member of staff or the proprietor. This helps to prevent further problems occurring, and in the case of an accident it allows it to be investigated preventing similar future events.
Equality and Diversity:
In the workplace, equality and diversity is a legal obligation designed to protect workers against any discrimination. These discriminations may include: age, gender, disability, race, language, ethnic origin, nationality, colour, parental or marital status, pregnancy, religious belief, class or social background, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or political belief.
As we live in an increasingly diverse society, it is a vital that it is recognised in the workplace and can be promoted by ensuring everybody is equally valued, included, motivated and treated fairly.
Data Protection:
Data refers to personal information stored about any person related to the business, this may include staff, clients, liveries, volunteers, or suppliers. Examples of information held may comprise of: names, addresses, telephone numbers, medical information, bank details, staff attendance and performance reviews.
Regardless of how the data is documented and stored, this information must be kept confidential and only those with relevant authority, or on a 'need to know basis' should be allowed access. The room in which this material is stored should be out of bounds to the general public, and kept locked at all times. All data held on a computer should be password protected, or stored in a locked filing cabinet when documented manually.
From 25 May 2018 a new EU law will come into effect which replaces the current Data Protection Act.
Animal Welfare Concerns:
Animal welfare concerns refers to the state of the animal, consideration of their well-being, and prevention of suffering. To protect any animal's welfare means to provide for both their physical and mental requirements.
To be responsible for an animal there are 5 requirements which must be met and provided, including:
Neglect can occur for a multitude of reasons, at varying degrees, and is mainly due to a lack of knowledge, poor-education, ignorance, or deliberate cruelty. When working on a yard, if there is a concern regarding an animal's welfare it should be reported immediately to a senior member of staff or the proprietor. They are then expected to determine whether this person's actions are the result of inexperience, or it is intentional. In the case of inexperience, or poorly educated, the person may be spoken to and offered help and advice. They should be carefully monitored to ensure all guidance has been responded to and the situation has been, or is being, resolved. In the event of intentional abuse, the senior manager or proprietor may initially speak to the person responsible, if the issue is not rectified they should be reported to an animal welfare charity who can further investigate. In this instance, photographic or video proof can be extremely useful as evidence, especially if the case is taken to court.
In the rare case where a manager or boss has ignored, or is responsible for, the abuse you have a duty of care towards the animal to report it an animal welfare charity.
Employee Role and Responsibilities:
Working on a stable yard entails caring for allocated horses, and carrying out general yard duties under the supervision and advice of senior staff. You will be expected to follow instructions, working solely or as part of a team. General duties may include mucking/skipping out, sweeping the yard, keeping allocated areas tidy such as the feed room, tack room and storage areas. The role of horse care can vary depending on experience, but may involve grooming, turning out or bringing in from the field, treating minor wounds, apply bandages, holding for the vet or farrier, tacking up and caring for equines after being exercised or lunged.
All employees are responsible for turning up to work on time, in suitable clothing to carry out their daily jobs, and behave appropriately, both verbally and physically, at all times. They will be expected to perform appropriate tasks requested by the employer, whilst complying and adhering to all rules and health and safety instructions given. Reasonable and appropriate care must be taken for their own, and other peoples, health and safety. Personal limitations, and those of others, (ie lifting heavy objects or handling difficult horses) must also be recognised and not exceeded. Incidents on the yard, regardless of severity, should always be reported immediately to the person in charge.
Irrespective of experience within the equine industry, you have a duty of care towards yourself, other human beings, equines and yard animals to ensure safety and well-being is priority.
