Safer Farm Environments for Children
Ellen Abend, Eric M. Hallman
Cornell Agricultural Safety and Health Program
The family farm has always been a place
where work, play and life's other activities
intertwine at a single location. Generations
passed on their beliefs, values, and work
ethics to succeeding generations through
shared activities on the farm. Today,
however, the pastoral farming lifestyle is
becoming a high-tech industry. Although the
farm has always had its share of hazards,
modern agriculture has become one of the
nation's most perilous industries. Because
farm
children live and play on the work site, they
are exposed to potentially dangerous
situations every day.
It is not technically feasible to eliminate
all hazards from a farm- stead. Farm families,
therefore, must be able to identify hazards,
know their children's capabilities, and
develop appropriate responses to protect
children.
Children-What Makes Them
Tick?
Each child is unique, with his or her own
level of development, judgment, and
maturity. A child's perspective is different
from an adult's, and trying to predict how
children will react to a situation on any
given day is next to impossible.
Nevertheless, psychologists have
identified some general childhood
characteristics based on age groups.
Infant/Toddler (Birth to Two Years):
Within a short 24-month period, a totally
dependent baby develops into a very
active, mobile explorer, experiencing the
environment, at first, through taste and
touch. Newly discovered mobility
motivates toddlers to climb onto and into
things that were not designed for them.
Because of rapid physical changes, their
mastery of skills is inconsistent, and falls
are a common cause of injury. Toddlers
cannot judge what is safe, so parents
need to be aware of what the child is
doing at all times.
Preschool (Three to Five Years):
Preschoolers love to climb, and they tend
to gravitate toward water, interesting
noises, and moving parts. They also
imitate the behavior of others, especially
that of people who are important to them.
Preschoolers think "magically" rather
than logically. They believe that if they
want to do something, they can, with no
regard for risks and consequences.
Because preschoolers are strong- willed
negotiators, they increase the risk of
being injured by insisting on, for example,
having "just one ride" on the tractor or
hay wagon.
Early School Age (Six to Eight Years):
Youngsters can understand danger at
this age, but because they have short
attention spans and are easily distracted,
they may still get into trouble without
realizing it. Children this age are very
curious and work hard to master physical
skills. In striving to be competent and
accepted by peers and adults, they
attempt tasks that may not be appropriate
for their abilities.
Middle Years (Nine to Eleven Years):
During these years, children are group
oriented, but they also are striving to
develop a sense of self and to experience
achievement. They exhibit logical
thinking, but not consistently. One minute
they appear to under- stand cause and
effect, the next minute they don't.
Children in this age group have a "handson"
orientation, and in their desire to be a
part of the farm family, they may
overestimate their capabilities. Size
variations are great during this
developmental stage. Parents may think
that taller children are more able to do
adult tasks, but this may not be the case.
Adolescence (Twelve and Older):
Early teens are often awkward and
clumsy. During this growth period, their
hands and feet grow more rapidly than
the rest of their bodies and lack of
coordination is common. Adolescents
may have a keen interest in
experimenting, a resistance to
supervision and authority, and a
perception of being immortal. These traits
create added risks for youths in this age
group when they participate in a farm's
daily operations.
Child Safety: Back to the Basics
Injuries are the leading cause of death for
children past the age of one. It is
estimated that 23,500 farm children are
injured annually while working or playing
on the farm. Tractors and equipment
contribute to most of those injuries. Falls
and encounters with animals are the next
two most common causes.
Accidents do not "just happen"; they
usually involve an error in judgment.
Because the ability to perceive danger
and react safety is a learned behavior,
children need regular, consistent training
and appropriate examples to follow.
Ultimately, it is the adult's
responsibility to ensure the safety of a
child. That responsibility includes
supervision, the making and enforcement
of rules, protection against hazards, and
education.
Supervision
Supervision is vital to the safety of
children of all ages and should never be
viewed as an intrusion. Guidelines for
supervision include:
- Know where children are at all times.
- Explore play groups, day care, or other adult supervision for children when both parents are working. Concentrating on work and watching a child at the same time puts both the parent and the child at risk.
- Provide safety training for young people working on the farm. Experience has shown that they often receive little, if any, safety training. When youths begin helping with chores and tasks, it is essential that they be trained and familiarized with a job's procedures and equipment. Explain, observe, and correct as needed. Positive comments from adults encourage desired behavior.
- Keep young children from playing in areas with high levels of noise or dust. Exposure to loud machinery, grain processing areas, or similar environments can lead to cumulative hearing loss and permanent damage to respiratory systems. Older children working in those areas should be required to use dust masks and hearing protection.
- Don't allow children to move containers, hay bales, or other objects that are too heavy for them.
Rules are made to protect lives, not "to be broken," as the old proverb states. Be firm in your convictions. Start by enforcing these simple rules:
- NO PASSENGERS are allowed on any tractor or piece of equipment. One seat means one rider.
- Children are not allowed to play on farm equipment, especially tractors. Machinery may look like fun, but it is not play equipment. A proper play area can be built using a commercial kit or with some creative effort. A child's safety is worth the expense.
- Work areas are off-limits for playing. Tour the farm and set limits as to where children can play. Silos, grain bins, and hay mows look inviting but may produce deadly results.
- Children and adults must always tell each other where they are and what they are doing. Make this a standard practice for everyone on the farm.
Eliminating all potential hazards may be impossible, but removing some of the more common ones can save lives and prevent injuries. A few practical suggestions:
- Keep pesticides, veterinary medicines, and milk house chemicals out of the reach of young children. Store them in their original containers in a locked cabinet or shed. Rinse out empty containers and dispose of them properly.
- Remove junk piles, and store raw materials safely. To young children these look like great areas to play and explore.
- Unplug power tools when they are not in use.
- Empty pails of water, waste oil, and other liquids that can attract curious toddlers. Drowning can occur in just a few inches of water.
- Do not leave heavy objects like tractor tires leaning against walls. Children may pull them over on top of themselves while playing. Store heavy or large objects securely in low-traffic areas.
- Keep guns in locked storage cabinets out of the reach of children. Store ammunition separately.
- Provide a fenced play area for young children to keep them away from potentially hazardous areas.
- Elevate ladders leading to structures, like silos, at least 7 feet off the ground to prevent children from climbing them.
Install and Maintain Guards and Shields
Mechanical shields and barriers are meant to protect people from dangerous equipment and situations. Make certain that:
- All moving parts on equipment and tractors are properly guarded. Install and maintain complete PTO master shields and guards on all tractors and equipment. Removing guards to save a few minutes while hooking up or repairing equipment is not worth risking injury.
- Farm ponds and liquid manure storage facilities have fencing that children cannot climb over or squeeze through. These are potential drowning sites.
- Livestock gates and fences are sturdy and secure to prevent unwanted contact between children and animals.
- Electrical boxes are covered and no bare wires are exposed to minimize the possibility of electrocution.
- Fan installations are equipped with guards to prevent curious little hands and fingers from getting too close to the blades.
Adults often assume that the safe way of doing something is obvious, but acting safety is a learned behavior that takes time and practice. Parents and supervising adults can educate children about farm safety in the following ways:
- Teach young children to stay away from containers that look unfamiliar or are marked "poison."
- Post emergency phone numbers (including Poison Control) on every phone, along with clearly written directions about how to get to your farm. Teach children as soon as possible how to report an emergency.
- Teach children how to act safely around animals. Their eagerness to be near an animal may place them in danger. (See the Farm Safety Fact Sheet "Safe Animal Handling")
- Explain to children why they are not allowed to ride on tractors and other equipment. Make them aware that children their age can fall from moving equipment and discuss what may happen.
- Tell children, even the very young, where off-limit areas are.
- As children grow older, explain why certain activities, areas, and equipment are dangerous, so they will better understand the rules.
- As older children and teens become workers, take time to train them. Ask them to explain in their own words how they are going to perform the task at hand and make sure they fully understand the job.
- Realize that children occasionally forget to act or work in a safe manner. Check on them frequently, and correct unsafe behaviors immediately.
- Remember that education most often takes place when children watch others; be a safety conscious role model. Remind older siblings that they are also role models and their behavior will be imitated.
Summary
Farms can be a great place to raise children and continue a valued way of life, but they can also be full of hazards, especially for youngsters. By providing attentive supervision, making and enforcing rules, taking appropriate precautions with equipment and work areas, and educating children, farm environments can be made healthy and safe for the entire family. When there are children on the farmstead, it is important to keep in mind several key points:
- Children are unpredictable and prone to forget safety lessons.
- Children live for today, with little thought of the risks and consequences of their actions.
- Each child is an individual with his or her own temperament, abilities, and level of maturity.
- Children, no matter how well they have been taught, are still going to behave like children..
OTHER RURAL HEALTH AND SAFETY FACT SHEETS INCLUDE:
Power Take-Off Safety
Lightning Protection for Farms
Slow Moving Vehicle Emblems
Electrical Safety on the Farm
Safe Animal Handling
This publication is issued to further Cooperative Extension work mandated by acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. It was produced with the cooperation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; Cornell Cooperative Extension; the New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, New York State College of Human Ecology, and New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, at Cornell University.
Designer: Dennis R Kulis
Editor: David A. Poland
Illustrations by Jim Houghton
For additional information: call 1-877-257-9777
Cornell Agricultural Health & Safety Program
Disclaimer and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More
Reviewed for NASD: 07/2005