Today, June 21st, is the first day of summer, which means lots of farm activity. If you spent last Sunday with your children in celebration of Father’s Day, remember their smiling faces and commit yourself to keeping them safe while you go about your busy life.
You’ve heard it all before- heat illness, sun damage, protective clothing and equipment, hazardous materials, etc. I can only hope that you’re protecting yourself, which by the way sets great examples for your children. Will they want to help you on the farm? Sure they will! But make sure you give them age-appropriate tasks and watch them demonstrate a task effectively several times before letting them go solo. Supervise them adequately, encourage them to ask questions, make sure their tools and work area are safe to use and work in.
Each year, more than 100 children are killed and nearly 12,000 are seriously injured on U.S. farms. The highest rate of injuries involves children younger than 10 years old, and you may find yourself focused on your work and less concerned about your kids when they’re spending their summer simply playing outdoors. But the leading causes of injury to non-working children on farms is being run over, drowning, falling from heights, machinery entanglement and falling off of or being struck or crushed by animals.
Here are some tips:
- Install passive physical barriers – around water hazards, animals, and machinery/vehicle compounds.
- Practice safe storage – i.e. don’t lean large objects against walls, put away tools and sharp objects, and lock up hazardous substances.
- Build a safe play area separated from the farm work site by a barrier and tell your kids what areas are off limits.
- Never take your children on machinery, including giving them rides on beds, buckets or in your lap.
- Remove ALL keys when a machine is not in use, disengage/de-energize hydraulics, and store equipment in lowest condition.
Remember that these little people are your descendants. Defend them against the dangers of the farm so that they may live to take over for you one day.
-Terry Olson, Titan Machinery
Resources:
https://www.cultivatesafety.org/resources/
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/children.htm
https://www.agriculture.com/family/health-safety/new-checklist-aims-to-keep-farm-kids-safe
https://www.agriculture.com/family/health-safety/summer-farm-safety-tips