Keeping Kids Safe On the Farm
Farming is one of the few work environments where children are often exposed to equipment, livestock, and sometimes toxic chemicals. The potential risk means that it is critical that children are taught about the dangers around them and shown how to avoid putting themselves at risk. How can you make sure that children on your farm are safe?
Farming is one of the few work environments where children are often exposed to equipment, livestock, and sometimes toxic chemicals. The potential risk means that it is critical that children are taught about the dangers around them and shown how to avoid putting themselves at risk.
Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting (CAIR) indicates that between 1992 and 2012, 272 Canadian's under the age of 14 died in agricultural related fatalities, 45% of them were under the age of four. Whether it is an accident involving equipment, an animal or something else like drowning or being crushed by an object, the effects are just as devastating.
It's important to remember that what may seem to be an obvious safety measure to us, isn't so obvious for young children, especially when they are caught up in fun and games. The easiest way to teach children how to safely navigate the hazards of farm life is to lead by example. Children look up to the adults in their lives and if you and your workers are following established safety protocols, these will be come second nature to the children in your life.
How can we help?
Click below to check out our Safe Backing Procedures online training course or to learn more about Pedestrian Safety Systems.
The information in this article was taken from Keeping Children Safe on the Farm. Published on CanadianSafetyCouncil.org March 2016. Click here to read the original article.