Notice to Industry 3: Horse truck driver requirements – transport of imported horses

This document sets out the responsibilities of horse truck drivers who move imported horses from the airport to a post-arrival quarantine (PAQ) facility.

This information is not relevant to movements of horses imported from New Zealand and New Caledonia.

This document is provided for information only. To the extent that this document is inconsistent with any import permit, direction, or authorisation to enter a quarantine facility, the terms and conditions of the import permit, direction, or authorisation to enter a quarantine facility take precedence and will apply. Failure to comply with a condition of an import permit, direction, industry notice or authorisation to enter a quarantine facility may constitute an offence.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry regulates the import of horses and has developed conditions that manage the associated biosecurity risks. Strict requirements apply to the management of horses, in addition to decontamination and disinfection requirements for people and equipment accompanying them, and vehicles transporting them.

Equine Influenza (EI) is a primary disease of concern because Australia is officially free from EI. Horses arriving from northern hemisphere countries that have not completed post-arrival quarantine pose a risk of infection with EI even if clinical symptoms are not evident. An outbreak of EI could result in serious economic loss by Australia’s horse racing, breeding and equestrian industries.

Due to the highly contagious nature of EI, people in proximity to infected horses can transmit the virus even if they have had minimal contact with the horses themselves. Equipment used in feeding, handling and treating imported horses can also transmit the EI virus. Horse trucks and the drivers involved with the loading and unloading of imported horses are also at risk of transmitting EI.

A number of compounds will inactivate EI, including soaps, detergents, acids and oxidising agents (such as Virkon).

The Biosecurity Act 2015 provides biosecurity officers with the authority to direct persons to decontaminate if they are suspected of exposure to a disease or pest of biosecurity concern to Australia. Horse truck drivers must comply with all instructions given by a biosecurity officer.

• On arrival at the corral, horse truck drivers must:
  • change into EITHER:
    • two pairs of department issued fabric overalls OR
    • one set of fabric overalls with one set of disposable overalls over the top.
  • give a complete change of clothes (including underwear and socks) to the biosecurity officer for sealing and labelling in a bag. The bag of clothes will be transported in the driver cabin to the Mickleham Quarantine Facility (MQF) or class 7.12 approved arrangement (AA) site.
    Note: If drivers do not wish to wear two sets of overalls in the corral, they may instead shower out at the corral (complete head to toe, full body 3 minute shower including washing hair and cleaning under fingernails) and change into a clean set of clothes prior to entering the cabin to drive to MQF or an AA site.
  • provide the department with their name, vehicle registration number (including trailer registration if applicable) and contact number.
• Once the horses, equipment and personnel have been loaded into the horse transport vehicle, the doors will be sealed by a biosecurity officer. The door to the grooms’ compartment will not be sealed for WH&S reasons.
• Remove outer set of overalls after all horses and grooms are loaded into the trucks and the door seals are in place.
• The biosecurity officer will:
  • issue biosecurity directions to the horse truck driver for:
    • movement of the horses directly to MQF or an AA site, and
    • movement of associated equipment and personal effects directly to MQF or an AA site, and
    • the horse truck to be cleaned and disinfected at MQF or AA site.
  • give the horse truck driver the contact details for the regional horse coordinator and the MQF horse compound manager (or delegate) or AA site PAQ manager (or delegate), on the Form: Contact details and information for transport driver – MUST CARRY.

While travelling between the airport and MQF or the AA site, the horse truck driver must:

• Transport horses directly to MQF or the AA site using the route confirmed with the biosecurity officer.
• Carry a copy of Form: Contact details and information for transport driver – MUST CARRY.
• If the horse truck stops en-route for any reason, immediately phone the contact listed on Form: Contact details and information for transport driver – MUST CARRY. Any issues en-route will be managed by department staff on a case-by-case basis.

• For horses travelling to MQF, the horse truck drivers must stop at the Deliveries entry gate where the security team will be waiting to escort them to the horse compound.
  Note: Drivers and any passengers must not exit the vehicle until directed by a biosecurity officer.
• Horse truck drivers must be authorised to enter the MQF horse compound. To be eligible for authorisation they must have:
  • Been nominated by the horse importer
  • Completed the relevant MQF online site induction modules.
    Note: If horse transport vehicle drivers have not completed the required inductions for the MQF, a biosecurity officer will direct them to read and sign the relevant form. Horse truck drivers will then be escorted while on site.
• Horse truck drivers must:
  • Wait until a biosecurity officer has checked that all biosecurity seals are intact and removed the seals before opening doors to unload the horses.
  • Give all documentation transported from the airport to a biosecurity officer on arrival (including the Form: Contact details and information for transport driver – MUST CARRY).
  • Give a biosecurity officer their bagged, labelled, clean change of clothes. The biosecurity officer will place them in a change room.
  • Move the horse truck to the truck wash bay for cleaning and disinfection, after all the horses have been unloaded and the biosecurity officer has given permission.
  • Wear department supplied personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times when Virkon is being sprayed onto trucks or rinsed of trucks. This includes disposable nitrile gloves, overalls, and rubber boots. In addition, a P2 face mask and protective eyewear must be worn when Virkon is being applied to the horse truck.
    Note: Additional PPE is required to be worn to minimise potential health hazards associated with the use of Virkon, the chemical used to decontaminate horse trucks at MQF. Potential health hazards associated with Virkon include irritation to the skin, damage to the eyes, and harmful effects if inhaled or ingested.
  • Clean the compartments of the truck to ensure all animal faecal matter, feed and bedding has been removed.
  • Once all solid material has been removed, hose out all truck compartments to remove all visible contamination, then squeegee residual pools of excess water.
    Note: Once the vehicle has been cleaned, a biosecurity officer will inspect it, then apply Virkon to all surfaces. Virkon must be left on for a minimum 10-minute contact time. A biosecurity officer will also disinfect the truck cabin and items in it with alcohol wipes.
  • Wash off the disinfectant that was applied by the biosecurity officer after the minimum contact time has been reached and the biosecurity officer has directed the wash down.
  • Follow biosecurity officer directions to place personal items in the pass-through box for disinfection before entering the change room, surrendering the department’s overalls for laundering and footwear for cleaning and disinfection.
  • Undertake a head to toe, full body 3-minute shower (including washing hair and cleaning under fingernails) onsite.
  • After showering, change into the clothing that was previously bagged and provided to the biosecurity officer.
  • Complete the authorisation form and sign the attendee register after exiting the change room.
• Any personal equipment (e.g. mobile phones, tablets, paperwork, eyeglasses etc) taken into the corral or horse compound must either:
  • Remain in the horse compound until the end of the PAQ period OR
  • If the item is deemed suitable for decontamination, it will be decontaminated prior to leaving the corral / horse compound by wiping down with alcohol wipes or spraying with alcohol spray.
    Note: Simple jewellery (wedding bands) may be permitted to enter and leave the horse compound if they can be adequately disinfected.

Arrival at the AA site

• For horses travelling to an AA site, the horse truck drivers will be supervised and directed on arrival at the AA site by the PAQ manager (or delegate).
• Horse truck drivers must:
  • Follow all directions given by the AA staff and biosecurity officers.
  • Wait until a biosecurity officer has checked that all biosecurity seals are intact and removed the seals before opening doors to unload the horses.
  • Give all documentation transported from the airport to an AA staff member on arrival (including the Form: Contact details and information for transport driver – MUST CARRY).
  • Give your bagged and labelled change of clothes to a Biosecurity Officer or an AA staff member who will place them in a change room.
  • After all the horses have been unloaded and the biosecurity officer has given permission, move the horse truck to the truck wash bay for cleaning and disinfection (if unloading takes place in a separate area to the truck wash).

Truck cleaning and disinfection

• Cleaning and disinfection of the horse truck at AA sites is generally carried out by AA site staff and biosecurity officers. Truck drivers may be asked to assist with some tasks.
• Trucks will have visible risk matter removed and will be hosed out before Virkon is applied to all surfaces of the horse compartments for a minimum 10-minute contact time.
• Virkon can be rinsed off the truck after the minimum contact time has been reached and the biosecurity officer has directed the wash down. The Virkon can be rinsed off by an AA biosecurity staff member or by the horse truck driver.
• A department biosecurity officer will disinfect the truck cabin (and the items within it) with alcohol wipes.
• Horse truck drivers must:
  • Wear personal protective equipment (PPE) if they are present in the truck wash area when the truck is being sprayed with Virkon or when Virkon is being rinsed off the truck. PPE includes overalls, rubber boots, gloves, protective eyewear and a mask.
    Note: PPE will help to minimise potential health hazards associated with Virkon, which include irritation to the skin, damage to the eyes, and harmful effects if inhaled or ingested.
  • Follow directions to place personal items in the ‘telephone chute’ for disinfection before entering the change room, surrendering the department overalls for laundering, and footwear for cleaning and disinfection.
  • Undertake a head to toe, full body 3-minute shower (including washing hair and cleaning under fingernails) onsite.
  • Change into clean clothing and footwear after showering.
  • Complete any forms and follow any directions given by AA site staff or the biosecurity officer before leaving.