Equipment and Vehicles

Product Movement People Movement Equipment
& Vehicles Pests
& Weeds

Why should the movement of equipment and vehicles on your property be considered a risk?

Diseases, pests and weeds can be spread on equipment and vehicles, either attached directly or in plant material or soil. It is important to maintain equipment hygiene and ensure all vehicles that visit your property are clean and well maintained.

What to consider

Vehicle maintenance

Vehicle tyres, undercarriages, grills, floors and trays can carry diseases, pests and weeds in soil, plant material and manure. They can also directly attach to the vehicles.

ensure visitor vehicles are clean and are parked in a designated area away from livestock and/or crops
have a well sign posted visitors meeting spot away from livestock and/or crops
establish a vehicle high pressure wash down facility well away from livestock and crops to clean property and contractor vehicles and equipment
the wash down area should have an associated sump to collect any waste water, which can be checked regularly for the presence of pests and weeds
ensure any run off is directed away from livestock pens, paddocks, crops and waterways
regularly check areas around the wash down facility for new pests or weeds
keep an up to date equipment and vehicle cleaning record (www.farmbiosecurity.com.au/toolkit)
clean machinery from the top down and dismantle it as far as possible to gain access to internal spaces
clean all borrowed or second hand machinery before using it on your property

Vehicle access

Knowing who has entered your property allows possible sources of diseases, pests or weeds to be tracked. Also, limiting the number of vehicle access points to your property will limit the potential disease, pest and weed entry sites and allows you to monitor these areas closely.

limit the number of entry and exit points (one is preferable)
each vehicle entry and exit point should be examined for the risk they pose, particularly in relation to the distance from livestock and crops
biosecurity signs should be present on all vehicle access points, displaying clear instructions and contact details
lock and clearly sign post restricted access areas
keep a Visitor Register (www.farmbiosecurity.com.au/toolkit)

Storage of equipment

Storage containers, tools and feeding equipment can carry or harbour diseases, pests or weeds. Regularly clean/disinfect all storage containers, tools and feed equipment, and store away from potential contaminants.

Use of dedicated equipment when working in high risk areas

It may be most practical to assign equipment (including tools, clothing, and footwear) for use in disease, pest and weed affected areas or for handling sick stock. The equipment used in infected/infested farms or areas should not be reused in clean areas – and vice versa.