Keeping Kids Safe Around The Farm

Background

• Many of the victims of accidents that occur on the farm are children.
• It's important that the parents instill in their kids safe working practices at a very early age.

Tips

• Keep youngsters away from farming equipment and chemicals.
• When giving them new chores, supervise their performance until you're sure they can do the job safely.
• Keep any play area around the farmstead free of hazards; in fact, enclose a pre-schooler's play area to keep him/her from wandering off.
• Never allow youngsters to ride with you on farm equipment when you're working in the field.
• When they're old enough, encourage your kids to participate in 4-H and/or FFA safety activities.

Teach Rural Youth Safe Working Practices

Many of the people who die or suffer disabling injuries each year in farming accidents are children. According to the National Safety Council, it's very important that farmers and ranchers teach their children safe working practices. Safety is best learned and most easily carried out when it is instilled in a person at a young age. The Council suggests the following:

• Keep children away from farming equipment and chemicals.
• When you give a child a chore that he is physically capable of handling, supervise him until you're sure he can do the job safely.
• Keep play areas free of hazards. Enclose preschoolers" play areas to keep little ones from wandering away.
• Never allow youngsters to ride with you on farming equipment when you're working in the field. All too often children fall off and are severely injured.
• Encourage children to participate in safety activities of your local youth organizations and schools.