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The updated precautions have been
divided into categories by degree of risk.
Low Risk Visit
- Visiting farm with no direct contact with livestock, feed, or
livestock equipment.
Moderate Risk Visit
- Visiting farm with no direct contact with livestock but direct
contact with feed and livestock equipment.
High Risk Visit
- Direct contact with livestock.
All Visits - Low, Medium or High
1. Make sure your vehicle is clean inside and out at all times -
except of course for that visit's accumulation.
2. Wear clean clothing and clean washable or disposable footwear.
3. Maintain a detailed log of all livestock farm visits.
4. Park vehicle in a clean dry area, preferably on a hard surface with
no obvious manure. Avoid exhaust fans from livestock areas. Close all
windows to prevent insects from entering the car.
5. Follow the farm's biosecurity plan if they have one.
6. Wash soiled hands and footwear before leaving - if disposable
footwear leave on farm (best) or take back in garbage receptacle.
7. If taking people from another country or province on to a Manitoba
livestock operation, ensure they have not been in contact with
livestock for 72 hours before hand.
Moderate or High Risk
1. Wear clean coveralls, or other protective outer wear, and clean
washable foot wear at each farm visited. Rubber boots or rubber
overshoes are preferred.
2. If the farm provides boots and protective outer wear, use it. In
this situation, it would be recommended to cover shoes/boots with 1
pair of plastic over boots when walking from your vehicle to the farm
door.
3. If plastic over boots are to be worn through out the farm, make
sure that 2 pair are put on. This decreases the risk of tearing or
punctures.
4. Clean and disinfect your shoes/boots thoroughly when you arrive and
when you leave a farm - cleaning when you arrive may seem overcautious
but it assures the producer they are clean.
5. When on farm, avoid walking in feed areas or watering areas.
6. On leaving the farm, scrub boots and all equipment that is washable
with clean water, a brush and detergent. Rinse and apply disinfectant.
If possible, leave the disinfectant on.
7. For sensitive equipment that can not be washed, wipe down with a
damp, paper towel. Follow up with a second paper towel dampened with
disinfectant.
8. Scrub hands, including fingernails, thoroughly with detergent
before leaving the farm. When possible, wear disposable gloves. This
will make hand washing more effective.
9. If possible, leave contaminated materials on the farm.
10. Remove dirty outerwear before entering your vehicle. Store in
garbage bags or in plastic bins with lids for appropriate laundering.
Plastic bins do not rip and are easy to wash.
11. Many disinfectants degrade over time. Make sure your disinfectant
is fresh. For example, Virkon is usually only good for 1 week (or when
it goes from pink to clear) once it is mixed in solution.
12. At the end of the day:
a. Remove any contaminated material from the designated "dirty" area
of the vehicle.
b. Clean "dirty" area and floor mats by vacuum or brush out any
organic matter, then disinfect so that the entire vehicle is "clean."
c. Wash vehicle regularly, preferably with a power wash with special
attention to tires and wheel wells.
High Risk
1. Attempt to move from youngest animal groups to oldest animal
groups.
2. When equipment, boots and/or outer clothing becomes very dirty,
take time to clean or change before moving to the next animal group on
the farm.
3. Only enter barns/pens that are essential for you to enter. Only
have direct contact with the animals or groups of animals that it is
essential for you to have contact with
Vehicle Equipment for Moderate or High Risk Visits
1. Divide the vehicle into "clean" (e.g. interior passenger area) and
"dirty" compartments (e.g. trunk). Never enter the "clean" compartment
with soiled footwear or clothing. The vehicle is considered "clean" at
the start of the day and a "dirty" compartment is designated for
soiled materials after the first farm visit.
2. Rubber (washable) floor mats are required for each person in the
car or truck.
3. A single piece of rubber or heavy plastic liner, which can be
removed for cleaning and disinfection, is required to cover the whole
trunk or truck box. Large plastic containers are placed on the liner
as equipment carriers.
Farm Equipment Kit for Moderate or High Risk Visits
1. Clean coveralls and boots that are easily disinfected and do not
collect organic debris. Boots with narrow deep treads should be
avoided. Consider purchasing nylon coveralls for use in wet, dirty
conditions. Although not completely waterproof, they are less
permeable than cotton and are less apt to soak through. They are also
windproof, and light, and stand up well in the washing machine. They
can be damaged in the dryer but they do air dry quickly
2. Winter parka (if worn) made of moisture resistant fabric they
should be restricted to use on a single premises per day and
cleaned/sponged with disinfectant solution before re-use. Consider a
three-in-one jacket with detachable shell made of nylon, and an inner
liner of nylon and polypropylene. These stand up well to frequent
washing.
3. If required, plastic non-permeable tool box that can be easily
cleaned and disinfected and contains all testing equipment.
4. If required, sharps container that is disposable or readily
disinfected.
5. Protective equipment, e.g. disposable gloves, and polyethylene bags
to store used coveralls and contaminated material.
6. For proper cleaning of boots and equipment and to avoid biofilms: a
stainless steel pail, a boot brush, a detergent and a disinfectant are
essential. Boot brushes are normally are 11 cm x 11 cm (4" x 4"). Do
not use a larger brush. Plastic pails can be used - see point 11.
7. Detergents can be any common dish detergent. They may double as a
hand cleaner.
8. Examples of disinfectants: Quaternary ammonium, (Quatsyl, Ascend),
sodium hypochlorite (Bleach), concentrated hydrogen peroxide (Peroxiguard),
peroxymonosulfate (Virkon). Pick one, use it according to label and
know the MSDS information. Remember that most disinfectants require at
least a 2 minute contact time to be effective.
9. If water is not provided on site, bring at least four litres.
10. Testing equipment, including plastic/metal clipboard and cover,
forms, etc., is kept "clean" until used on a premise.
11. All plastic equipment, carriers, etc. should be replaced regularly
as any deep scratches cannot be readily cleaned and disinfected.
For further information or for any questions you may
have, please contact
Dr. Glen Duizer (204) 945-4174 or
Dr. Shelagh Copeland (204) 726-6293
Manitoba
Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives
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