Be Proactive, Keep Youth Safe on the Farm

How often do you say this: “do as I say, not as I do”?

The farm can be a fun, engaging, and nostalgic place to raise children; however, life on the farm comes with inherent risks that require certain precautions to make the farm a safe place for kids. The curious nature of children makes this especially difficult, as they often exhibit a lack of fear or a clear understanding of danger. According to the Children’s Safety Network, 42% of fatal injuries to youth on U.S. farms involve machinery and motor vehicles (e.g. tractors, ATVs, etc.) while another 16% of fatal injuries are due to drowning. As the school year comes to a close and your own children and grandchildren spend more time on the farm, use your actions and attitude to establish safety as a priority.

In addition to being a positive role model, make time to identify hazards around the farm and implement changes to improve safety. We have included some of these hazardous “hot spots” in the table below, along with recommendations for injury prevention.

Hazards for Children Recommendations to Prevent Injury
Workshops, chemical and grain storage areas Install gates, doors, or other locking systems to keep children out

Explain the meaning of warning signs around the farm

Clean and dispose of empty chemical containers

Establish designated safe play areas

Machinery and equipment Equipment should be turned off, disengaged, and inaccessible

Leave front end loaders and similar equipment in the down position

Lock vehicle cabs after use

Keep vehicle keys out of reach of children

Never allow children to play around machinery

Never allow children (or anyone) to be an extra rider on a tractor

Livestock Pens Only allow children to work with livestock under adult supervision

Secure livestock pens so children cannot wander into the area

 

If you’re looking for fun ways to talk with children about farm safety, check out this farm safety activity book created by the National Child Safety Council. The book includes games, puzzles, crafts, and more on a wide array of topics from livestock and tractor safety to first aid.

For more details on age-specific hazards, protective measures, and appropriate tasks for youth check out our NJAES factsheet titled “Farm Safety Tips for Children”.

Source: Brennan, M.F. and Brumfield, R.B. “FS937: Farm Safety Tips for Children.” Rutgers University, March 1999. https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.php?pid=FS937. Accessed on 10 June 2021.

Tractor Safety – “No Seat, No Rider”

There is no argument that tractors have forever changed agriculture. The use of tractors has long replaced the presence of draft horses on almost every farm in America. It is estimated that cultivation of land with a modern tractor allows 64 acres to be plowed in the time it took to cultivate one acre with a draft horse. The use of tractors also comes with a dark side. As long as farmers have been using tractors they have been injured and killed by them. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 274 transportation related deaths, which includes tractor deaths in 2018. In any given year half of all tractor fatalities are from overturns, almost another one-fourth are from runovers. Many have a tradition of allowing extra passengers to ride on tractors. Sometimes trying to transport a worker from one task to the next or possibly saving them from walking back to the barn. Some even allow children to come along for a ride – a very dangerous practice. Whether it be on the tongue, side steps, fender or extra passenger in the cab, remember these places are not designed for riders. As we enter one of the busiest seasons in agriculture remember one of the most important safety rules NO SEAT, NO RIDER!

  • Riders that fall off are immediately in danger of being run over by a tractor wheel
  • On rough or uneven ground, riders are first to bounce off (especially children)
  • Riders distract the driver and can bump controls
  • Rollover Protective Structures are designed to protect drivers, not riders

Do not ever think “it won’t happen to me.” Every farmer can tell a story of an incident that happened to someone they know in the farm community that involves a tractor. Make sure everyone makes it through the harvest – NO SEAT, NO RIDER!

Posted on behalf of Bill Bamka, Agricultural Agent, RCE-Burlington County.

‘Driving Safety Home’ is Theme of Agricultural Safety Awareness Program Week, Feb. 28 – March 6

Sharing resources that will help farmers and ranchers keep safety top of mind through the Agricultural Safety Awareness Program (ASAP) is a priority of county and state Farm Bureau leaders across the nation. As part of ASAP, Feb. 28 – March 6 has been designated as Agricultural Safety Awareness Week. U.S. Agricultural Safety and Health Centers will join Farm Bureau in promoting the week with its theme “Driving Safety Home.”

A different safety focus will be highlighted by Farm Bureau and U.S. Ag Centers each day of the week:AG Safety Awareness

  • Monday, March 1 – Farmer Roadway Safety
  • Tuesday, March 2 – Caretaker Support
  • Wednesday, March 3 – General Farmer Wellness
  • Thursday, March 4 – Mental Health
  • Friday, March 5 – Community Roadway Safety

During this week and throughout the year, Farm Bureau encourages farmers to make safety a priority on the farm.

The Agricultural Safety Awareness Program is a part of the Farm Bureau Health and Safety Network of professionals who share an interest in identifying and decreasing safety and health risks. For more information and resources, visit the ASAP Facebook page.

Visit the Centers’ YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/USagCenters) for new content and fresh ideas about how to stay safe while working in agriculture, forestry and fishing. Join the movement to keep farms safe and share your own safety messages on social media using the hashtags #KeepFarmsSafe, #ASAP21 and #USAgCenters.

The 11 U.S. Agricultural Safety and Health Centers (www.cdc.gov/niosh/oep/agctrhom.html) are funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Health and Safety Highlight: Prioritize Safety Year-Round, 5 Keys to Safe Winter Equipment Maintenance

The fields may be quiet, but the machine shops are buzzing. Yes, winter is a great time to perform repairs and maintenance on farm machinery. Keep yourself and those around you safe by following these tips: [Read more…]

Every Farmer Counts! 76th National Farm Safety & Health Week – Sept. 20-26, 2020.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension Ag and Natural Resources Dept Chair Nick Polanin has announced the good news that RCE has been able to hire Ms. Kate Brown as Program Associate II to work on commercial crop production in the RCE-Burlington County office. We welcome Kate to the job. In continuing some of the programs of retired County Agent Ray Samulis, Kate is now the Rutgers liaison to the NE Ag Safety and Health Coalition and has shared this news about next week’s celebration of National Farm Safety & Health Week (NFSHW). — Rick VanVranken [Read more…]