Page 338 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

310 13 Last but in Fact Most Importantly … Health and Safety

VetBooks.ir experience that taught me a great deal about 13.2 Roles and Responsibilities
how to limit or hopefully avoid such acci-
dents. In the end, there was a summary judge-
ment in favour of the defendant (the zoo). It Safety is everyone’s responsibility from the
CEO to the individual front‐line employee.
was found that the employee had inadvert- Each level in the organisation has different
ently broken an established safety protocol responsibilities but the combined effort
that caused the injury. There were no reduces the potential for accidents. Each
‘winners’ in this case. The only good that can employee should understand their role and
come of it is if the profession learns from this the importance of staying safe. The goal
cautionary tale and acts responsibly to pro- should be to develop a culture of safety
tect current and future zoo professionals. throughout the organisation. Comprehensive
safety programmes can create additional
13.1.1 A Note on Incident Severity work and make some tasks more cumber-
some to complete. These facts can reduce
When we talk about accidents whilst work- compliance if not supported through staff
ing with zoo animals, most people immedi- training that clearly outlines the many bene-
ately think about serious incidents that affect fits of operating safely. The aim should be to
life or limb. Whilst these types of tragedies create buy‐in throughout the staff. Each
grab the headlines and must be avoided at all employee strives to be safe and looks out for
cost, we should also consider the effects of the safety of their colleagues. In a culture of
more minor incidents like scratches and safety, a junior employee feels comfortable
close‐calls (Hosey and Melfi 2015). These reminding their boss to stay behind a line or
‘lesser’ incidents provide important informa- to put on personal protective equipment
tion and must not be overlooked. Remember (PPE) (Occupational Safety and Health
that the circumstances that led to a domestic Administration Act 1970).
cat to scratching a zoo professional’s arm can
just as easily happen when working with a
tiger. Every accident, no matter how small or 13.2.1 Employers’ Responsibilities
inconsequential, must be reported, investi-
gated and adjustments made to avoid future ● Provide and maintain safe facilities and
incidents. It is also important to note that protective equipment.
this foreshadowing effect is not lost on insur- ● Create comprehensive animal training
ance carriers. Workplace incident and injury safety policies and procedures.
rates are often used to calculate a company’s ● Provide staff training in these policies and
insurance premiums. So a spate of minor procedures.
injuries can have a significant negative effect ● Provide adequate supervision to ensure
on an employer’s finances to the tune of tens that employees operate in a safe manner.
if not hundreds of thousands of dollars. ● Promote and ensure a culture of safety
Regardless of the severity of a safety inci- throughout the workplace.
dence, any injury to an employee or animal ● Investigate all errors and/or accidents to
must be avoided. Beyond the actual injury ascertain their cause and make adjust-
and negative financial impact, the reputation ments to avoid future incidents.
of the employer can also be put in jeopardy.
This can have a chilling effect on animal 13.2.2 Employees’ Responsibilities
training programmes or put them at risk
altogether. This could result in a reduction of ● Act in a safe manner at all times following
these welfare enhancing programmes across prescribed policies and procedures.
all species or have negative impacts on ani- ● Understand and respect the natural history
mal husbandry protocols and ultimately the and physical capabilities of the animals
animals’ health and welfare. they are training.