Swine Barn Entrance, Office and Change Area

Agdex#:	721/440
Publication Date:	12/95
Order#:	95-071
Last Reviewed:	12/95
History:	Original Factsheet
Written by:	OMAFRA Staff

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Vestibule Entrance
3. Street Clothes Drop
4. Shower
5. Barn Clothes Area
6. Office/Lunch Area
7. Washroom
8. Storage
9. Workbench and Refrigerator
10. Privacy
11. Conclusion

Introduction

Swine farmers are becoming more diligent in their attempts to reduce the risk of introducing disease to their herds. The entrance to the barn is an important part of the farm's biosecurity system. Its purpose is to prevent the entry of swine diseases by people, both the operators and visitors. The entranceway can also provide some amenities and miscellaneous functions necessary for the operation of the swine herd.

This plan (see Figure 1) was developed as an addition to an existing barn but the principles can also be applied to new barns. The objective was to include as many functions as possible in as small and economical a plan as possible. Consequently, the areas within the plan are reduced to a minimum. Give careful consideration to each of the components and decide if any need modifying. If space and budget allow, you may wish to expand certain areas to suit your needs.

Vestibule Entrance

As the first line of defence, the outside door is locked. The doorbell is connected to buzzers or lights inside the barn to let operators know there is a visitor. In the case of delivery of small and clean items such as semen, items can be passed through the sliding window directly into the office. This reduces the number of people entering the barn. Those who do come in are directed to leave their shoes and boots in the vestibule before proceeding. A sign on the change-room door lists the biosecurity protocols you require visitors to follow.

Figure 1.  Swine barn entrance.

Street Clothes Drop

Depending on the level of biosecurity and whether a shower will be taken, outerwear and underwear are dropped here.

Shower

Some farms expect everyone to shower before entering. Others simply require visitors to change into farm provided boots and coveralls. In the latter case, the shower may be there only to be used by the operators at the end of the day when leaving the barn. As the shower itself is offset from the traffic flow, this plan allows either procedure to be followed.

A commercial shower stall can be installed. A piece of slatted plastic flooring in front of the shower is warmer to stand on when drying off than the cold concrete floor. Shelves for towels are located next to the shower.

One option is to build a shower rather than buying a commercial unit. Across the width of the change room, pour a 1.5 m x 1.5 m (5 ft. x 5 ft.) shallow pit with a drain and cover it with plastic slats that are comfortable to stand on. Build three short partition walls as shown to divide the area into the shower and towel storage. The shower area is lined with sheet plastic while the towel area is equipped with shelves. The shower curtain encloses both areas.

Barn Clothes Area

Barn clothes are hung on hooks on the wall. There is shelving above for clean clothes. Barn boots can be left here but a better place to leave them is beside the feed room door. This keeps the office floor clean. The washer and dryer are located in this room, convenient to the dirty clothes.

Office/Lunch Area

This room has a sink, counter, microwave and an undercounter refrigerator for the preparation of simple lunches. The table is used for eating and for meetings with staff or visitors. There is a desk for record-keeping. The whiteboard is used for daily instructions and reminders as well as during meetings. A feature of this plan is that this room has windows on two walls. They give a view to the outside as a welcome contrast to working in the windowless pig rooms.

Washroom

The sink and toilet are in a room separate from the change room.

Storage

This room contains the hot water heater and other items which require clean and dry storage.

Workbench and Refrigerator

A small workbench is a good place to do minor repairs or maintenance on barn equipment. Tools are hung above the bench to keep them clean, dry and organized. All tools are painted orange to identify them as barn tools so that they are more likely to stay in the barn and to be returned to this board. Under the bench is a bar fridge for veterinary supplies.

Privacy

With members of both sexes working in or visiting the operation, privacy while showering must be considered. The apprehension that someone might suddenly come into the change room can make a person uncomfortable while showering. Larger operations have separate showers and change rooms but this is hard to justify on the average-sized pig farm.

In this single-shower plan, the following modifications can prevent someone from inadvertently walking into the shower area while it is occupied:

• The plan shows that the shower curtains close off the drying area as well as the shower for more privacy while drying off.
  
  
• The doors to the change room are always locked when they are closed.
  
  This, however, presents a problem. After showering and dressing you would have to go back through the shower with potentially dirty street clothes to unlock the change room door. This is a breach of biosecurity protocol.
  
  As a compromise, hang a key on the wall outside both change room doors. To open the door then, requires the use of the key. This method does not prevent someone from entering the change room but it does slow them down enough that they will try to find out if the change room is occupied. A sign saying Knock Before Entering can be hung on the doors.
  
  
• Install a motion sensor in the change room. The sensor turns on the light in the change room when it is occupied. The sensor is also wired to simultaneously turn on a red light located outside the change room beside each door.

Conclusion

This layout in a small and efficient space, contains most of the essential items needed to reduce the risk of people bringing swine disease into the barns. Consider each area carefully and decide whether any need to be modified or expanded to make it more comfortable.

Barn layout is only one part of biosecurity. More important is how management enforces the protocols for visitors entering the farm.