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Working with crocodiles in captivity

Businesses working with crocodiles in captivity within Queensland perform a diverse range of different activities including the display, feeding, capture, measuring, transportation and processing of crocodiles.

In order to understand the workplace health and safety requirements for working with crocodiles in captivity, and your obligations under the law you must consider and understand relevant legislation and codes of practice.

The crocodile industry includes companies, businesses and individuals working in:

• wildlife parks and zoos
• crocodile farms
• universities and other research institutions.

Understanding crocodile behaviour will assist in decreasing the risk of a crocodile attack; however, crocodiles are instinctive predators and can still be unpredictable animals.

As a minimum control measure, any person working near unrestrained crocodiles over 1500 mm in length should be accompanied by another competent worker who acts as spotter and guard.

A system of exclusion zones has been developed for working near and with crocodiles. Crocodile enclosures and pens should be designed with maintenance requirements in mind. As a general rule, if work can be performed from outside of a crocodile enclosure it should be. If this can not be achieved then isolate the crocodile or crocodiles in a separate section of the pen or enclosure. Isolation will usually require built-in features such as gates, fencing or other barriers.

If workers are required to enter the pen or enclosure and crocodiles cannot be isolated, then competent spotters should be used to inform workers of crocodile movement and to distract crocodiles if necessary.

The following should be considered to ensure the risk of entry to enclosures at the workplace is managed:

• the risk of crocodile attack has been minimised
• the person entering is a competent worker or if a worker is receiving training they are accompanied by a competent worker
• the person has received an induction to the workplace
• the person entering has completed an extensive formal on-the-job training program for entering the enclosure and performing the task while in the enclosure
• the person is considerably experienced in entering enclosures and performing the required task
• the person is supervised by the employer if competent or other nominated competent person
• clear instruction has been given regarding the task to be performed while in the enclosure
• the instructions are understood and the worker has agreed to conform to all safety directions given by the employer or representative while in the enclosure.

Under no circumstances should any workers come into physical contact with a crocodile of a length greater than 1500 mm, which has not had its jaws restrained.

Children, generally, should not enter an enclosure. If a child is part of a long term structured training program, safety controls must be implemented to ensure that the child is closely supervised at all times.

Exhibiting crocodiles

Employers and self-employed persons have obligations to ensure the health and safety of members of the public at their workplace. All foreseeable risks in regards to members of the public should be controlled.

Fencing or barriers with mesh which prevents persons, including children, from placing parts of their body into the enclosure should therefore be used in conjunction with the signage.

Workplaces that house small numbers of crocodiles, or have a hire or swap arrangement with other zoos or farms, may not be required to perform high risk tasks regularly enough to enable workers to become competent in those tasks.

Workplaces that do not possess adequately trained workers to perform high risk tasks such as show feeding, should engage competent contractors to perform this work.

Show feeding

The purpose of show feeding crocodiles as part of an exhibition is to educate members of the public about the nature of crocodiles and how they behave in the wild. Show feeding should only be undertaken with conditioned crocodiles. Hand-feeding of crocodiles of any size for educational shows should be undertaken only by a competent person.

Crocodile handling

Wildlife parks, zoos and farms may offer to members of the public, crocodile handling as a part of their visit to the workplace. In these situations the crocodile must be under the supervision of an experienced person at all times.

If the crocodile is to be held by a member of the public, the crocodile's mouth should be tied securely. The size of the crocodile should be matched to the age and physical capabilities of the person wishing to hold it. It is recommended that crocodiles handled by members of the public are a maximum of 1200 mm in total length.

Crocodile farms

Many of the tasks performed at crocodile farms are similar to other workplaces that exhibit crocodiles; however, workers at crocodile farms generally perform high risk tasks, including egg collection, more frequently.

Egg collection is a high risk task, due to the risk of crocodile attack from:

• the female crocodile guarding the nest
• other female crocodiles guarding their own nests in the area
• territorial male crocodiles.

When performing egg collection the following control measures should be considered:

• isolate the crocodiles e.g. by means of gates, fencing or other barriers
• isolate the worker by physical barrier so that crocodile attack is not possible while egg collection is being performed
• restrain the crocodile by top-jaw rope
• use spotters in conjunction with workers to distract crocodile(s), using physical barriers where required.