Pigs Standards

Home > Standards > Pigs Standards > PERSONNEL

PERSONNEL Version 5.1 (modified)

Click to view

PG.PL.1 PG.PL.1.1 PG.PL.2 PG.PL.3 PG.PL.4 PG.PL.5

Glossary

Key – Those standards which have greater significance (all other standards are normal)

Recommendation – Those which do not affect certification

New – A completely new standard which the member must now adhere to

Revised – A standard that has changed and requires the member to take some different or additional action to before

Upgraded – The standard has been upgraded to a Key standard or from a Recommendation to a full standard

Appendix – Referenced in ‘How you will be measured’. Indicates that additional information is provided in the Appendices, which are available at the end of each section.

This icon indicates that a record is required.

AIM: All personnel (including but not limited to employees, self-employed and family members) are trained and competent to carry out the required activities on farm/sites relating to primary production on site

PG.PL.1 Key

Systems must be in place to ensure all personnel are effectively trained and deemed competent to carry out the activities they are required to do

How you will be measured

PG.PL.1.a

Nobody starts work without an induction, covering at least the following: - an explanation of the tasks they will undertake - Health & Safety information - reporting lines

PG.PL.1.b

All persons looking after the health and welfare of livestock have knowledge and skills in animal husbandry

PG.PL.1.1

All persons involved in the care of pigs on the unit have completed all available mandatory modules on the UK Pig Industry Training platform.

How you will be measured

PG.PL.1.1.a

Each person has completed the relevant* available modules within 3 months of their launch

PG.PL.1.1.b

New persons on the unit undertake all available modules within 3 months of starting

Certificate(s) of completion
Training records

PG.PL.2

Records of training must be kept

How you will be measured

PG.PL.2.a

A training record is available for all, including: - name - details of training - date of training - who provided the training (in-house or external)

PG.PL.2.b

Where workers are trained to undertake specific tasks, these are listed in their record

PG.PL.2.c

Records kept for 2 years after person has left the business

Training record (paper-based or online, e.g. PigPro)

PG.PL.3

The performance and competence of employees must be regularly reviewed and refresher training implemented as required

How you will be measured

PG.PL.3.a

Documented annual performance reviews of work undertaken and ability to carry out required roles

PG.PL.3.b

Gaps in competence are addressed by recorded refresher training, implemented immediately or within defined timeline

Annual performance review
Training records

AIM: Any labour providers used are managed with agreements in place to ensure that workers provided are competent, and labour providers are licensed

PG.PL.4

Where labour providers are used, they are licensed and a documented agreement is in place

How you will be measured

PG.PL.4.a

All labour providers used hold a valid Gangmasters & Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) licence

PG.PL.4.b

A Service Level Agreement is in place between the business and the labour provider

PG.PL.4.c

The agreement confirms that any workers provided are suitably competent

PG.PL.4.d

The agreement confirms any training completed by the labour provider as an alternative to the businesses’ own training systems

PG.PL.4.e

The agreement confirms that all workers are legally permitted to work within the UK

PG.PL.4.f

The agreement defines allocation of Health & Safety responsibilities between labour provider and labour user

Evidence of GLAA licence
Service Level Agreement

AIM: A safe working environment for workers and visitors

PG.PL.5

Written Health and Safety Policy in place

How you will be measured

PG.PL.5.b

Policy is effectively communicated to all relevant workers

PG.PL.5.c

Language and learning style is given due consideration to ensure all workers understand information

Health & Safety Policy

Where to find help

AHDB Pig Pro online training recording system: https://pigpro.ahdb.org.uk/
AHDB advice on holding effective staff appraisals and useful templates: https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/effective-staff-appraisals
Gangmasters & Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) advice for labour users and details of how to check the licence status of a labour provider: https://www.gla.gov.uk/i-am-a/i-use-workers/
Association of Labour Providers: https://labourproviders.org.uk/
Stronger Together: https://www.stronger2gether.org/
Guidance on legal requirements for management of Health & Safety is available through the HSE website: https://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/index.htm
How to write your Health & Safety Policy (including link to example template): https://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/policy/how-to-write-your-policy.htm
Farmwise – your essential guide to health and safety in agriculture https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg270.htm

More Standards

Beef & Lamb

Chicken

Crops & Sugar Beet

Dairy

Dairy Goats

Ducks

Fresh Produce

Turkeys

Print this page

Download Pigs Standards Manual

Download the changes to the Pigs Standards from 1 February 2025

Templates, Examples & Guides

Annual Performance Review of Staff – Pigs

Guidance

PL.1.1 – Most modules are mandatory for all, but where a module is focused on a particular age of pig that is not kept on the unit, the persons on the unit are not expected to undertake that module (although they may choose to voluntarily), e.g. the Handling Sows module is not required on a finishing-only unit
PL.3 – This standard applies to employees (not personnel, workers, family members). On a site operated by only one person, there is no requirement for them to undergo an annual performance review (although this could be undertaken by a fieldsperson or other appropriate person if deemed valuable).
PL.4 – The GLAA defines specific circumstances which are excluded from the licensing requirements – refer to GLAA website for further information. This standard does not apply where workers are supplied outside of the scope of licensing requirements.
PL.5 – Definition of worker (taken from https://www.gov.uk/employment-status/worker): a person is generally classed as a ‘worker’ if
– they have a contract or other arrangement to do work or services personally for a reward (your contract doesn’t have to be written)
– their reward is for money or a benefit in kind, for example the promise of a contract or future work
– they only have a limited right to send someone else to do the work (subcontract)
– they have to turn up for work even if they don’t want to
– their employer has to have work for them to do as long as the contract or arrangement lasts
– they aren’t doing the work as part of their own limited company in an arrangement where the ‘employer’ is actually a customer or client