Family Farm Safety
Four questions to keep everyone safe.
“Farming is one of the most dangerous industries on the planet,” says Brian Kuhl, President and CEO, Progressive Agriculture Foundation. The organization provides education, training, and resources to make farm, ranch and rural life safer and healthier for all children and their communities.
“We put ourselves in harm’s way almost every day, and some of those risks we can control and some of are just simply out of our control.” And as Kuhl points out, farming adds another unique layer of complexity and risk, as farm kids tend to be involved from a young age in day-to-day operations.
There are a few guidelines Kuhl suggests to improve family farm safety.
1. Is the farmyard safe?
This is a working space. If both children and adults can speak to it that way, it helps to build awareness for kids.
- Having a truly safe play area designated and fenced off on your farmstead makes the line very clear.
- Ask the local fire department or farm safety organization to visit your farm and walk around it with them. Identify key areas of possible risk and make a plan to reduce or remove those risks.
2. What age is best?
There is no right answer to this question. You know your child best so understanding their physical and cognitive abilities will help you make that decision.
- Physical ability: Can they sit to the back of the seat, seatbelt fastened and easily and comfortably reach all the controls, and see clearly to safely operate that tractor?
- Cognitive ability: Are they capable of making quick decisions? Do they understand the risk? Can they comprehend the instructions that have been given to be able to do the task safely?
3. Are they ready to go off the farm?
Once kids have their driver’s license it is easy to assume they could also drive farm equipment on public roads. The risk is exponentially higher when moving equipment using public highways. Make sure they know the rules of the road and are ready for the added risk and responsibility.
4. Are ATVs and UTVs safe for my kids?
We know that these vehicles are used by kids and adults for both farm work and recreation, but the first question that must be asked is – Are they big enough to operate it safely?
- Safety on an ATV: measure the size of the operator to the size of the equipment. When a smaller person is on that machine, can they safely sit on the seat with their feet flat on the foot pads and comfortably holding the controls and still be able to slide on that seat as they need to redistribute their weight and balance?
- When operating a UTV, drivers must be all the way to the back of the seat with seatbelt fastened. The seatbelt is critical because it keeps the operator in the cage.
“It’s not like when we were kids. We know better now and we can do better. The equipment is bigger but some of it is also safer with equipment like seatbelts and safety guards,” says Kuhl. Making sure the kids are ready for the responsibility helps to reduce the risk of an accident.
Listen to The Dirt PodKast for the full conversation on family farm safety.
