Dairy Veterinary Consultancy Ltd Health and Safety Policy
Health and Safety Policy Statement
Dairy Veterinary Consultancy Ltd
1. Statement of General Policy
Dairy Veterinary Consultancy Ltd (“DVC”) is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for
its director, for any contractors or associates working on its behalf, and for the clients, staff, and members of the
public who take part in or are present during its training and consultancy activities.
DVC operates as a single-person consultancy providing specialist advice, training, and expert witness services to
the dairy and beef industries. The company does not undertake clinical veterinary work, does not generally handle
or treat animals, and does not supply medicines. Its activities are limited to consultancy, the delivery of training
and CPD, farm and business assessment visits, and related report writing and expert witness work.
This policy sets out how DVC manages health and safety in the course of its work, in line with the Health and
Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated regulations, so far as they are relevant to a self-employed consultancy
of this size and nature.
This statement will be reviewed annually, and sooner if there is a significant change in the nature of the company’s
work.
2. Organisation and Responsibilities
Owen Atkinson, Director of Dairy Veterinary Consultancy Ltd, holds overall and day-to-day responsibility for
health and safety within the business. As the company’s sole employee/director, Owen Atkinson is responsible for:
• Assessing the risks associated with each piece of work before it is undertaken, including travel to and work
carried out at client premises.
• Identifying and, where possible, controlling or avoiding hazards encountered in the course of the work.
• Maintaining appropriate insurance cover, including public and professional indemnity insurance.
• Ensuring any equipment used is suitable, well maintained, and used correctly.
• Reporting, recording, and learning from any incident, near miss, or work-related ill health.
• Keeping up to date with relevant health and safety guidance for the industries DVC works in.
3. Arrangements
3.1 Working on farms and other client sites
DVC’s work regularly takes place on working farms and other client premises, which carry inherent hazards such
as livestock, moving vehicles and machinery, slurry and manure handling, uneven or slippery surfaces, and
weather exposure. DVC’s role on these visits is consultancy and training – it does not involve handling animals or
carrying out clinical procedures, except for specific training (e.g. hoof trimming) where separate health and safety
guidance is provided.
Before each visit, Owen Atkinson carries out an informal risk assessment based on the nature of the site and the
work to be done, and agrees any specific access, safety, or site-induction requirements with the client in advance.
On arrival, he follows the host farm or site’s own health and safety rules, signage, and any site induction given, and
will always avoid unnecessary proximity to livestock, machinery, or restricted areas.
3.2 Delivering training and workshops
Where training is delivered indoors or in a farm training area, DVC checks that the space, seating, and any
equipment provided are suitable and safe for the number of delegates expected. Where training involves observing
handling or cow flow in a working part of the farm, appropriate distance and viewing positions are agreed with the
farm team beforehand, and DVC does not direct the physical handling of livestock, taking part only under the strict
direction of the farm staff and leadership.
3.3 Lone working and travel
As a sole practitioner, DVC’s work is largely lone working. Owen Atkinson shares his day’s itinerary and expected
return time with a family member or colleague when travelling to unfamiliar sites, and carries a mobile phone at all
times. Journeys are planned to allow reasonable rest breaks, and vehicles used for work travel are taxed, insured,
and maintained in a roadworthy condition.
3.4 Personal protective equipment
Appropriate PPE for farm visits – typically boots or wellingtons, waterproof/outdoor clothing, and hand sanitising
or biosecurity measures between farms – is provided and maintained by DVC. Any additional site-specific PPE
requirements (e.g. hi-vis clothing) are followed as directed by the host site.
3.5 First aid and emergencies
DVC carries a basic personal first aid kit when travelling to client sites and will, in the first instance, make use of
first aid provision and emergency procedures already in place at the host farm or site. Owen Atkinson is familiar
with basic first aid and will follow the client’s own emergency procedures, fire evacuation arrangements, and
reporting lines while on site.
3.6 Incident reporting and review
Any accident, incident, near miss, or work-related ill health arising from DVC’s activities is recorded by Owen
Atkinson and reviewed to identify any action needed to prevent recurrence. This policy and the arrangements
above are reviewed at least annually, and updated as the business or its activities change.
3.7 Insurance
DVC holds public liability and professional indemnity insurance appropriate to its consultancy and training
activities. Certificates of insurance are available on request.
Insurer name: QBE UK Limited
Policy number: 00019236OFP
Public and products liability limit of indemnity: £5,000,000
Signed:
Owen Atkinson BVSc DCHP FRCVS
Director, Dairy Veterinary Consultancy Ltd
Date: 13 August 2026
Review date: August 2027