Avian Influenza Regulations - Bird Flu

Following on from the subject of our last e-mail newsletter, namely “Avian Influenza” – more commonly referred to by the term “Bird Flu”, specific legal Regulations are now in operation, covering the preventative measures that must be put in place.

Regulations are now in force that apply specifically to England and there are equivalent regulations for Scotland.

There are additional regulations in place that apply to very specific situations, such as zoos

Essentially, the regulations place duties on the Secretary of State to assess the risks associated with the possible transmission of bird flu and put precautions in place to manage those risks.

We all need to take close interest in the regulations since whatever the Secretary of State decides to do by way of precautions will inevitably affect everyone else in one way or another.

Evaluating the Risks

Essentially, the Secretary of State is responsible for monitoring the potential for transmission of the bird flu virus from wild birds to domestic, poultry or other birds that are kept in captivity.

Once the level of risk is considered sufficient to justify specific preventative actions, the Secretary or State (or more precisely an inspector operating on behalf of the Secretary of State) may:

either declare a geographical area of the country (which could be the whole country) to be an “Avian Influenza Prevention Zone"
and/or serve a restriction notice on any premises where captive birds are kept

Effect of the Restrictions

Essentially the restrictions have a number of aims that may be summarised as:

Prevent contact between captive birds, poultry etc with wild birds, which includes avoiding contamination of the food and water provided for captive birds
Avoid cross-contamination between different types of birds such as domestic ducks or geese with other kinds of poultry
Identify possible infections by monitoring birds for indicative signs such as changes in their food or water intake, drop in egg production or increased mortality rate. Such changes must be notified to the Secretary of State.
Protect birds from accidental (or deliberate) infection – biosecurity - for example through people carrying infection from one premises to another were birds are kept.
Restricting the collecting together of birds at markets or shows.

Powers of Inspection

In order to enforce such restrictions, commercial poultry keepers who have more than 50 birds must keep comprehensive written records about the birds themselves and the premises in which they are kept. In addition, the regulations provide inspectors with powers to enter and inspect any premises to check for compliance with the regulations and to access written and computerised records associated with the premises.

Hopefully we will never have to implement the provisions of these regulations, but for those who might be directly affected, it is as well to be informed and prepared.

Contact EDP HS&E Consultants for all your health, safety and environment needs. We can check your current arrangements and advise you about any changes or improvements you need to make.

To discuss your requirements, without any obligation on your part, please gives us a call on 01744 766000 or complete the Enquiry Form on our website.

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