Farm visits - health and safety guidance

Farms can provide an exciting opportunity for young people to learn about rural life and food production but can also be places of relatively high risk.

Careful planning and good on-site management is vital. Leaders should ensure that they and those in their care engaged in these activities take the relevant precautions listed below.

Infections probably represent the greatest risk but farm machinery and animals can also present significant threats.

Leaders should check the provision at the farm to ensure that: 

• eating areas are separate from those where there is any contact with animals
• there are clean and well maintained washing facilities
• all young people wash their hands thoroughly as soon as possible after touching animals and before any eating and drinking
• shoes are cleaned and hands are washed on leaving the farm.

Leaders should never let participants: 

• place their faces against animals
• put their hands in their mouths after touching or feeding the animals
• eat or drink while going round the farm
• sample any animal foodstuffs
• drink from taps other than in designated public areas
• touch animal droppings
• play in the vicinity of, or ride on, tractors or other machinery.