AH - 4744 Sears Biosecurity Brochure A5:-

Biosecurity guidance for SEARS staff

t: 08452 30 20 50e: [email protected]: www.sears.scotland.gov.uk

Produced by Animal Health for SEARS55%

AH - 4744 Sears Biosecurity Brochure A5:- 22/6/09 14:29

32 BIOSECURITY GUIDANCE FOR SEARS STAFF

CONTENTS

04 SECTION 1

Biosecurity – Good Practice Guidance

Who needs to carry out good biosecurity?

Why is biosecurity important?

Why carry out biosecuritypractices?

Where is biosecurity relevant?

Health and safety considerations

07 SECTION 2

Risk of disease spread and level ofbiosecurity control

Levels of biosecurity control

Biosecurity control – quick reference guide

14 SECTION 3

General biosecurity principles

Planning the Visit

Personal biosecurity

Vehicle biosecurity

Equipment biosecurity

Special circumstances

Other guidance

21 ANNEX A

Background information on specific diseases

25 ANNEX B

Disinfection of marine survey boats

WHAT IS SEARS?

Scotland’s Environmental and RuralServices (SEARS) is a partnership ofnine organisations providing rural andenvironmental services for Scotland’srural communities. The SEARSpartners aim to provide their sharedcustomers, Scotland’s rural landmanagers, with a more efficient andeffective service by:

� co-ordinating when they need tocontact and visit land managers

� providing easy access toinformation and advice

� providing a consistent andresponsive service

� delivering a service which focuseson the needs of land managers.

The SEARS partners are:

Animal Health

Cairngorms National Park Authority

Crofters Commission

Deer Commission for Scotland

Forestry Commission Scotland

Loch Lomond & The TrossachsNational Park Authority

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Scottish Natural Heritage

Scottish Government Rural Paymentsand Inspections Directorate

www.sears.scotland.gov.uk/e: [email protected]

AH - 4744 Sears Biosecurity Brochure A5:- 22/6/09 14:29

5BIOSECURITY GUIDANCE FOR SEARS STAFF4 BIOSECURITY GUIDANCE FOR SEARS STAFF

BIOSECURITY – GOOD PRACTICE GUIDANCE

Good biosecurity practice refers to away of working that minimises the riskof contamination and the spread ofanimal and plant pests and diseases,parasites and non-native species.

WHO NEEDS TO FOLLOW THIS GUIDANCE?

This guidance has been producedspecifically for SEARS staff and is forall SEARS staff who enter rural landincluding estate land, farms, crofts,

woodland, plant nurseries,aquaculture units, lochs and rivers.Contractors working for us must alsofollow the same biosecurity practices.

WHY IS BIOSECURITYIMPORTANT?

Good biosecurity practice helpsprevent outbreaks and the spread of pests and diseases. Many speciesof plants and animals, including fishand shellfish, are susceptible to arange of diseases and pests, some ofwhich are notifiable under animal

health, fish health and plant health legislation.

Outbreaks of certain animal and plantpests and diseases can have a severefinancial impact on the agriculture,forestry, aquaculture and anglingindustries. They can cause economichardship, lead to animals suffering andhave a major impact on other sectorssuch as food processing and tourism.For example, the 2007 foot and mouthdisease outbreak is estimated to havecost the Scottish livestock sector andallied businesses over £35m. The spreadof endemic disease, while lessnewsworthy, can have an equallydetrimental impact on individualbusinesses and on the welfare of theirlivestock. Annex A provides someexamples of specific pests and diseasesrelating to animals, fish and plants.

The agriculture, horticulture, forestry,aquaculture and angling sectorswelcome good hygiene and biosecuritypractice by SEARS staff.

WHY CARRY OUT BIOSECURITYPRACTICES?

You cannot always see disease-causing agents, plant pests, parasites

and non-native species. While visiting,you or your contractors can pick themup and carry them on your clothingand footwear, and on vehicles andequipment to other locations.

A major outbreak can also impactsignificantly on you and yourcontractors’ work if your movementinto the countryside is restricted, yourfieldwork and inspections are stopped,or you receive extra work to respondto a crisis.

WHERE IS BIOSECURITYRELEVANT?

Biosecurity is important when youenter any farmland, or other premiseslike fish farms where there is a risk ofspreading pest or disease. This includesall agricultural land (including grasslandand arable / horticultural crops), hillground, moorland that carries stock,farm steadings, woodlands and rivers,lochs and aquaculture units.

5

SECTION 1

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It is important that you are aware youmight be up-stream of a fish farm if youare entering a watercourse.

Staff sometimes view biosecurity as aburden and, in certain cases, it doesinvolve extra work. However, thisguidance demonstrates that for mostlow risk visits very little, if any, extraeffort is required. This guidanceshould help you decide theappropriate level of biosecurity controlyou need to carry out.

The guidance cannot cover everyeventuality and in some situationscomplying with specific requirementswill be difficult in practice. If thathappens you should consider thedisease risk and take reasonableprecautions to maintain satisfactorybiosecurity.

If, during a site visit, an outbreak of any exotic or notifiable animal or plant disease / pest is suspected, the relevant authority must beinformed at the earliest opportunity.The risk assessment undertaken at the outset of the visit should bereviewed and biosecurity measuresamended accordingly.

HEALTH AND SAFETYCONSIDERATIONS

There are several zoonoses (diseasescapable of being transmitted fromanimals to humans) that may be ofrisk to humans including, for exampleLyme Disease, Leptospirosis, E ColiO157 and Salmonella. Good hygienepractice will significantly reduce therisk of contracting or spreading azoonosis. The HSE website has furtherinformation on zoonoses.

When following this guidance youshould be aware of the health andsafety requirements for handling andusing disinfectants and disposal ofpotentially contaminated clothing or equipment.

RISK OF PEST AND DISEASESPREAD AND LEVEL OFBIOSECURITY CONTROL

The risk of spreading pests or diseasebetween different locations isinfluenced by:

� the extent and reason for the visit

� the type of premises

� the proximity to fisheries, crops,livestock or areas where livestockhave access

� if there are any current pests ordiseases present or restrictionsapplied to premises.

SEARS staff need to enter rural land,water bodies and premises fordifferent reasons and collectively theycarry out a wide range of tasks thatpresent differing risks of spreadingpest or disease. Section 2 categorisesvisits in terms of the risks they poseand describes the precautions youshould take to minimise them.

SECTION 2



Table 1 describes four levels of biosecurity control and indicates when youshould practise each level. Level 1 control covers the lowest risk activities; Level 4 covers the highest; used where a notifiable disease outbreak has beendeclared or identified on the premises.

TABLE 1 LEVELS OF BIOSECURITY CONTROL AND THE TYPES OFVISITS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM

LEVELS OF BIOSECURITYCONTROL

The level of biosecurity control youshould practise will vary from simplyensuring footwear is clean (level 1) todisinfecting footwear (level 2), towearing appropriate personalprotection clothing which, togetherwith any contaminated equipment,can be thoroughly cleaned anddisinfected (level 3), to seekingspecialist advice and possibly needingofficial authorisation before entering alocation under restrictions (level 4).

The following sections describe whatyou need to do under each level ofcontrol before and after each visit.Depending on the specificcircumstances, you may need morerigorous controls, for example manyintensive livestock farms have theirown specific biosecurity requirements.

LEVEL 1 BIOSECURITY CONTROL– LOW RISK

This is the minimum level ofbiosecurity control you should practisewhen entering any premises onbusiness. As in Table 1 this standard ofcontrol is normally sufficient whenstaff visit farmhouses, offices,woodlands, garden centres and cleanareas of farm steadings wherelivestock are not present.

� Ensure footwear is clean (visually freefrom soil and debris). If necessarybrush or wash in soapy water

� Ensure vehicle is kept clean and, in particular, remove anyaccumulated mud

� Make use of any facilities providedat the premises to clean footwear ifrequired by the site or land manager

� Keep access to a minimum, do notaccess areas unnecessarily and if practical do not take vehiclesonto premises and keep toestablished tracks

� Respect any notices or instructions

Level 4 Biosecurity Control

� Visit during an animal, fish orplant pest / disease outbreak

� Restrictions may be applied to location

� Surveillance for plant pests(including pests / diseases of trees)

Example: Animal Health staff dealing with a notifiable diseaseoutbreak on a farm


� No direct contact with livestock

� Visit to farmland, fish farm shorebase, plant nurseries or woodlandswhere livestock have access

� Visits to areas of the farmsteading where livestock may be present

Example: SEPA staff enteringfarmland to access a sampling point


� No livestock present on premises

� Visit to office or farmhouse only,clean yard, garden centre, potatostores or egg packing stations

� Visit to woodlands

Example: SNH staff meeting withfarmer at farmhouse to discussmanagement agreements


� Direct contact with animals or fish

� Inspections at aquaculture units

Example: SGRPID staff carryingout cattle ID checks



LEVEL 2 BIOSECURITY CONTROL

If you are entering farmland or parts ofa farm steading where livestock may bepresent or crops grown, the risk ofspreading disease increases and youneed to take some extra precautions inaddition to those listed on page 9.

This level also applies if you visit fishfarm shorebases or you inspectnurseries and plants. Where possibleyou should plan visits involving plantsand plant material to inspect high gradestocks before lower grade material, toreduce the risk of transmitting plantpests or diseases.

� Clean and disinfect footwear (See section 3 for guidance ondisinfection).

� If vehicle has entered an area wherelivestock have access, ensure thetyres and wheel arches areadequately cleaned and disinfected.

LEVEL 3 BIOSECURITY CONTROL

If you will be coming into direct contactor physically handling livestock or fishor carrying out sampling or inspectionsat fish farms, the risk of coming intocontact with pathogens or infectedmaterial increases. You must wearappropriate protective clothing whichcan be easily disinfected or disposed ofto minimise the risk of carrying anydisease to other premises. In fresh watersituations when working in waterbodiesdealing with potential disease, parasitesor non-native invasive species, it isgood practice to clean and disinfect allrelevant equipment when workingbetween catchments. Take care to avoidtransporting any non-native invasivespecies between waterbodies.

� Ensure that footwear and vehicles areclean and disinfected as requiredbefore and after visits (see section 3for guidance on disinfection)

� Wear appropriate protective clothingwhich can be either disposed of afterthe visit or adequately cleaned anddisinfected

� Any equipment or other items usedshould be appropriately disposed ofor cleaned and disinfected after thevisit. Such equipment may rangefrom needles to survey boats.

LEVEL 4 BIOSECURITY CONTROL – HIGH RISK

Different biosecurity arrangements maybe necessary particularly if there is anexotic notifiable animal disease /plantpest or disease outbreak. If thathappens, you should seek advice onhow to proceed from the organisationresponsible for dealing with the case.

An outbreak of an ‘exotic notifiable’animal disease is where the ChiefVeterinary Officer has confirmed the presence of disease, for examplefoot and mouth disease or Newcastle disease.

If the site is under specific diseasecontrol restrictions or notifiable diseasesare known to be present, always followthe advice of the lead organisation.

For plant pest and disease outbreaksor plant pest surveillance work, before you visit a site, you should seek advice from:

� The Scottish GovernmentHorticulture and Marketing Unit on0131 244 6303 for plant healthissues not relating to woodlands.

� The Forestry Commission PlantHealth Service on 0131 314 6414for forestry related matters.

For advice on fish diseases, contact:

� Marine Scotland on 01224 876544 (marine) or 01796 472060 (fresh water).

For advice in relation to animaldisease, contact:

� Scottish Government, Animal Healthand Welfare on 0131 244 3707.



BIOSECURITY CONTROL – QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

Chart 1 provides a ‘look up’ guide to help you decide on the appropriatebiosecurity controls.

CHART 1 BIOSECURITY CONTROL – QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

Will the visit involve entering farmland, fish farm (or water up-stream), plant nursery or surveying for a plant pest or disease?

Will the visit involve direct contact with livestock or fish? Sampling ataquaculture units? Will the visit involve surveillance for plant pest or disease?

Are there any known notifiable disease or pest outbreaks at the locationor do any formal restrictions apply? Will the visit involve surveillance for aplant pest or disease?

Level 4 - Seek specialist advice from the lead organisation.Statutory controls on movements or activities may be in place.

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

Office, woodland (no livestock present),farmhouse, gardencentre or clean yard only

Level 1 biosecurity controlapplies: Footwear should beclean, normally norequirement to disinfect

Level 2 biosecurity controlapplies. Clean and disinfectfootwear

Level 3 biosecurity controlapplies. Wear appropriateprotective clothing andthoroughly cleanse anddisinfect all contaminatednon-disposable clothing and equipment

No



As outlined in section 2, the level ofbiosecurity control will vary from visit tovisit. The kit you need will also vary butsome basic biosecurity principles applyin all situations.

PLANNING THE VISIT

It is good practice to discuss the visitwith the occupier or managerbeforehand particularly if you will be indirect contact with livestock or samplingat fish farms. However, sometimes thatis not possible, for example, if you arecarrying out an unannounced cross

compliance inspection or investigatingcertain pollution incidents.

When planning the visit:

� Try to clarify the following pointswith the owner / manager beforeyou visit unless it is unannounced:

� Will water be available? If requiredask to have some water providedor carry a small supply

� What parking facilities exist?

� If premises have high healthstatus, do they apply their ownadditional controls?

� Are the premises under anyrestrictions?

� Where are livestock located?Maybe agree a meeting place

� Try to establish if the visit willinvolve entering water upstream ofa fish farm

� Ensure all your equipment is cleanand serviceable

� Restrict the equipment taken onto the premises; take only whatyou need

PERSONAL BIOSECURITY

At low risk visits (level 1) you are likelyto need only minimal biosecurity kit.This may be just suitable footwearwhich you can clean easily.

Situations involving level 2 biosecurityand above will involve adequatecleansing and disinfecting of footwearat least.

BIOSECURITY KIT FOR CLEANSINGAND DISINFECTION

The actual clothing you use will dependon the tasks you need to carry out, thetype of premises, the environment, theweather conditions etc. All protectiveclothing should be capable of beingdisinfected unless it is disposable.

If cleansing and disinfection is likely,you should carry the necessaryequipment; see the followingsuggestions:

� Plastic storage box

� Small supply of water (approx 5L)

� Approved disinfectant

� Boot tray or bucket

� Eye protection

� Protective gloves

� Hard brush

� Hoof pick

� Means of applying disinfectant, forexample brush or a portable sprayer

� Hand sanitiser / wipes and paper towels

� Selection of re-sealable bags

� Bag ties

GENERAL BIOSECURITY PRINCIPLES



CLEANSING AND DISINFECTION PROCEDURE

All staff visiting farm land, or premiseswhere there is a possibility ofcontamination should carryappropriate disinfecting kit. A list ofapproved disinfectants for animaldiseases can be found on the Scottish Government website(http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Agriculture/animal-welfare/Diseases/GenControls/15721/approveddisinfectants).

Disinfectants commonly used bySEARS staff at present for generalpurposes include products such asVirkon S. It should be noted howeverthat for specific diseases or pestswhich are known or suspected to bepresent, specialist products should beused. For example, Virkon S is notsuitable for some animal bacterial

diseases such as bovine tuberculosis,also for Phytophthora ramorum andP. kernoviae or other fungalpathogens with hard walled spores.For such fungal pests you could usespecific products such as Klercide70/30 IMS spray or CleankillSanitising Spray.

Some disinfectants can be harmfulparticularly if inhaled or in contactwith skin and you should wearappropriate protective equipmentsuch as gloves and eye protectionwhen making up the disinfectantmixture. Please follow the Control ofSubstances Hazardous to HealthRegulations 2002 (as amended).

PREPARATION AND USE

Mix and prepare the disinfectant in theopen air or in a well-ventilated area; youcan do this on location or in advance.Make sure you adhere to the dilutionrates stated by the manufacturer.

Disinfectants are particularly toxic toaquatic ecosystems and, if notmanaged properly, risk polluting thewater environment. To minimise anypollution risk from run-off or splashes

of washings and disinfectant, youshould carry out the disinfectionprocess on a well vegetated flat areaat least 10 metres away from anysurface water drains, watercourses,springs or wells.

Disinfectant is most effective at killingdisease when applied to a cleansurface. Make sure surfaces to bedisinfected are clear of mud, soil,faeces etc by first washing in a waterbath or hosing down if necessary.

Once clean, spray the boot / sole orequipment with disinfectant solutionuntil it runs off. Alternatively, dipboots in disinfectant. Work thesolution in using a hand held brush,brushing away from the face and eyes.Follow the COSHH risk assessmentinstructions for the product you use.

You should then rinse off thedisinfectant solution with clean waterbefore drying. Please observe anyspecific contact times and make sureyou do not allow disinfectants orwashings to enter any clean surfacewater drain or watercourse.

VEHICLE BIOSECURITY

Your vehicle should be clean prior toeach visit. This does not mean it needsto be completely washed or ‘showroom clean’, just that it is free fromany animal faeces and accumulatedmud. Please pay particular attentionto the tyres and wheel arches.

Consider where you park the vehicleand ideally park off-site if you can.Where you cannot park off site, try topark on a hard standing and avoid any areas of contamination. For example, run-off from livestockpens, slurry and so on, or areas where livestock can access.

NB: While the picture shows vehiclesparked away from livestock areas notethat the run-off from the steading asshown in the picture, could potentiallycontaminate the vehicles.



INTENSIVE PIG OR POULTRY SITES

Some commercial poultry and pig unitshave particularly stringent biosecuritystandards. This is an industry ratherthan statutory requirement and abreach of these standards maysignificantly impact on the farmbusiness. The owner may require you tohave been free from contact with thespecies for up to five days before youstart work. Showering in and out of thepremises and using protective clothingprovided is not uncommon. In thesecircumstances SEARS staff andcontractors must keep a record of theirvisit or site work.

AQUACULTURE / FISH FARMS

There are many serious contagiousdiseases of fish which can threatenboth farmed and wild stocks. As aprecaution, to minimise the risk oftransmitting disease, you must followdisinfection procedures when you visitfish farm premises.

The same basic biosecurity principleswhich apply to farmland also apply to fish farms and aquaculture units

but you may need some extraequipment and have to take extraprecautions to further reduce the riskof spreading disease:

� Try to find out the disease status of the fish farm before you visit. If possible avoid sites withnotifiable diseases

� If requested, use personalprotection equipment supplied bythe operator

� If you use a survey boat, you mayneed equipment such as a pressurewasher, hose pipe and electrical cable

� See Annex B for the procedure todisinfect survey boats

� When sampling, try to beginsampling downstream and work upstream

� Exercise particular care whenworking at a fish farm intake in viewof increased risk of diseasetransmission at this point.

If using an off-road vehicle, try toavoid driving through fields that have,or have recently had, livestock in themor where manure or slurry has beenrecently spread.

Efforts to keep the vehicle clean andavoid areas where livestock haveaccess will minimise the need to usedisinfectants. If disinfectants are usedrinse or wash the disinfected areaswith clean water once therecommended contact time (seeproduct label) has passed. Ensure thatany run-off does not enter anywatercourses or surface water drains.

EQUIPMENT BIOSECURITY

Equipment includes anything takenonto the site to allow you to carry outyour task. Make sure all equipment isclean and fit for purpose and that anyequipment likely to becomecontaminated is capable of beingcleaned and disinfected after the visit(unless disposable).

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

The procedures described in section 3should be sufficient to deal with themajority of routine visits to farms,farm land, woodland etc, but certainsites have specific requirements.


ANIMAL DISEASES

Avian influenza is a highly infectiousdisease of birds caused by anInfluenza type A virus that normallyinfects birds. The disease in birds canmanifest itself in a number of differentforms ranging from relatively mild tosevere. Certain wild birds, particularlywaterfowl, commonly carry the milderforms. The best defence is a high levelof awareness and good biosecurity.

Bovine tuberculosis is an infectiousand contagious disease of cattlecaused by the bacterium

Mycobacterium bovis. Human beingsand a wide range of mammals are alsosusceptible to this bacterium. Airborneexposure through close contact isconsidered to be the main route ofinfection in cattle. Cattle are subject toa compulsory eradication programme,the two main elements of which are freetuberculin skin testing and routine postmortem meat inspection.

Brucellosis is an infection in cattlecaused by the bacterium Brucellaabortus, which can also cause a diseasein humans known as “Undulant Fever”.

ANNEX A - BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON SPECIFIC DISEASES


RANGER LED WALKS

Where SEARS staff take members ofthe public onto farmland such as forexample on Ranger led walks, themember of SEARS staff shouldexercise the appropriate biosecuritycontrols as described in thisdocument, in most circumstances thisis likely to be limited to cleaning anddisinfecting footwear. Members of thepublic are not required to follow thisguidance, however if practical, theyshould be invited or given theopportunity to do so.

Where single excursions or visits will becrossings farm boundaries, it isrecognised that it will not normally bepossible for staff to disinfect footwearbefore entering each farm. In suchcircumstances staff should ensure theyclean and disinfect footwear at thebeginning of the visit and at the end.

As a minimum, members of the publicare expected to follow the guidelinesstated in the Scottish Outdoor AccessCode in regards to responsible accessto the countryside.

OTHER GUIDANCE

Codes of Recommendations for the Welfare of Livestock: Animal Health and Biosecurity – Scottish Executive, 2002http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/47007/0017624.pdf

Scottish Outdoor Access Codehttp://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/default.asp?nPageID=26

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended)http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htm



For further information on the aboveand other specific animal diseasesrefer to the Animal Health sectionof the Scottish Government website.

FISH DISEASES

Gyrodactylus salaris is a parasite,less than half a millimetre in size,which infects salmon, trout and someother types of fish in fresh water. Theparasite occurs naturally in the Balticrivers of Finland and Russia. Someyears ago the disease was accidentallytransferred to some rivers of the westcoast of Sweden and Norway. Theeffects of the disease have been soserious that salmon stocks have nowbeen completely lost from more than20 Norwegian rivers.

Further information:Keep Fish Disease Out – A guide toprotecting fresh water fish stocks fromGyrodactylus salaris and the Code of

Practice to Avoid the Introduction ofGyrodactylus salaris to GB.

Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) isan infectious viral disease of AtlanticSalmon. The disease was first reportedin Norway in 1984, but has since beenreported in Canada, the USA, the FaroeIslands, Ireland and Scotland. The mostrecent outbreak in the UK occurred inShetland in January 2009 (ongoing attime of print).

Further information:ISA – Scottish government website.

PLANT AND FORESTRY PESTSAND DISEASES

Phytophthora ramorum and P. kernoviae are serious fungus-likepathogens that damage a range ofornamental and native plants andtrees and are subject to eradicationmeasures in Scotland.

The infection in cattle causes abortionor premature calving of recentlyinfected animals. Cattle coming intocontact with an infected animalaround the time of calving may alsobecome infected.

Classical swine fever (CSF) /African swine fever (ASF) arehighly contagious viral diseases ofpigs. Infected animals suffer clinicalforms of the disease and mortalityrates can be high. They pose a severethreat to animal welfare and affectproductivity. ASF and CSF can betransmitted over long distances viacontaminated materials or meatproducts. The last CSF outbreak in theUK was in 2000.

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) iscaused by a highly infectious virus.Cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and deer areall susceptible. FMD can be spread bydirect contact with an infected animal;airborne spread from an infectedanimal; infected material carried onvehicles' tyres and wheel arches andon machinery; people (eg on hands,hair and clothing) and equipment.FMD is the only exotic disease wherepublic access to the countryside would

be closed automatically in theProtection or Surveillance Zone.

Newcastle disease is a highlycontagious viral disease of birds.Virus-bearing material can be pickedup on shoes and clothing and carriedfrom an infected flock to a healthyone. The virus can survive for severalweeks in a warm and humidenvironment on birds' feathers,manure and other materials. Possibleroutes of transmission thereforeinclude contact between poultry andalso through movements ofcontaminated vehicles, equipment,manure, feed and water. DuringOctober / November 2006, Newcastledisease was confirmed in East Lothian.

Swine influenza in pigs is an acute,highly contagious, respiratory diseasethat results from infection with type Ainfluenza virus. H1N1 is the mostcommonly found serotype but othersubtypes include H3N2, H1N2. Swineinfluenza is not a notifiable disease(i.e. a disease that has a high impacton productivity or serious zoonoticconsequences) because it causestransient infection with low mortalityin pigs.


After each visit to marine fish farmsites, the survey boat and itsequipment, survey equipment andpersonal protection equipment (PPE)are thoroughly cleaned anddisinfected at the fish farm base, and / or upon returning to the office.

While in open water away from anysites, the boat (the deck and hullabove the water line), equipment and survey equipment are hosed down with seawater to remove anyresidual sediment and organicmaterial. Everything is then sprayedwith disinfectant.

Disinfection on site

Before coming ashore, the boat ishosed down with seawater to remove any residual sediment andorganic material.

The boat is winched onto its trailerand parked in a suitable location. All survey equipment is removed fromthe boat and spread out on theground. The PPE is also spread out onthe ground if there is nowhere suitableto hang it.

ANNEX B - DISINFECTION OF MARINE SURVEY BOATS


Phytophthora ramorum has causedextensive damage to trees and nativeplants in parts of the USA. It has alsobeen found in a number of Europeancountries, mostly on shrubs. Since2007, P ramorum has been found inshrubs in a small number of sites, mostof which are historic gardens, in thewest of Scotland.

Phytophthora kernoviae has onlybeen found in the UK, Ireland andNew Zealand. It has been found tocause damage to a number of treesincluding beech and English oak andalso extensive death of Vacciniummyrtillus in Cornwall. In 2008 P.kernoviae was found in shrubs in a fewhistoric garden sites in the west ofScotland and infected V. myrtillus atone site.

Pseudomonas syringae pathovaraesculi (Horse Chestnut BleedingCanker) has, in recent years, beenisolated and identified in Britain. To tryto understand better the incidenceand spread of this disease anationwide-survey was carried out in2007, this indicated that one third ofrural and one half of urban horsechestnuts to be symptomatic.

Dothistroma septosporum or Red band needle blight, caused by the fungus Dothistroma septosporum,has been found on a range of coniferspecies in Great Britain. Pine speciesare by far the most common hosts,with Corsican pine and Lodgepolepine being the main species affectedin Scotland, although it has beenfound on Scots pine which appears tobe more resistant to the disease thanthe former species.

Clavibacter michiganensis subsp.sepedonicus (Potato ring rot) is aserious bacterial disease of potatoeswhich is listed as a quarantineorganism in the EC Plant HealthDirective and is notifiable in the UK. It is spread mainly in infected plantingmaterial, but can survive on surfacesand in debris.

Further information on plant andforest pests is available on the Plant Health section of the ScottishGovernment website and theForestry Commission website.


26 BIOSECURITY GUIDANCE FOR SEARS STAFF

The boat’s hull, bilge area, deck andfixed equipment (anchor, winch etc)are thoroughly sprayed withdisinfectant, which is allowed to drain and dry. All survey equipment(grabs, sieves, etc) and PPE (dry suits,rubber boots, waterproofs etc) arealso disinfected.

Cleaning and disinfection onreturn to the office

Prior to disinfection, the boat’s hull,deck and fixed equipment (anchor,winch etc) are scrubbed and pressure-washed with fresh water toremove any residual sediment andorganic material. Any bilge watershould be pumped out. Disinfectant isthen added to the washer, sprayedover the boat and left to dry.

All survey equipment and PPE arecleaned and disinfected by the same method as the boat, except that they are also given a final rinsewith fresh water.

Disinfection against ISA

Firstly, the boat’s hull, deck and fixedequipment (anchor, winch etc) arescrubbed and pressure-washed withfresh water to remove any residualsediment and organic material. Anybilge water should be pumped out.Detergent is then added to thewasher, sprayed over the boat and leftfor a minimum period of 20 minutes;this is to break down any fats and oilymaterial. This is followed bydisinfectant being added to thewasher, and the boat sprayed again;this is left to dry.

All survey equipment and PPE are cleanand disinfected by the same method asthe boat, except that they are alsogiven a final rinse with fresh water.


Biosecurity guidance for SEARS staff

t: 08452 30 20 50e: [email protected]: www.sears.scotland.gov.uk

Produced by Animal Health for SEARS55%


AH - 4744 Sears Biosecurity Brochure A5:-

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Transcript of AH - 4744 Sears Biosecurity Brochure A5:-