Farm Machinery Is No Place to Play, Farm Specialist Says

With schools closing for the summer, children will soon be home for nearly three months. Many rural children will be exposed to countless risks and hazards as they roam the farm as if it were their backyard.

"Farm machinery and buildings are hazardous areas and are not safe for children," says George Maher, a safety specialist with the North Dakota State University Extension Service. Allowing children to play on and around farm machinery exposes them to opportunities for serious injury . Farm machinery has many sharp edges and places that are not safe to climb on. It is not acceptable for children to use the machinery as a jungle gym or play toy."

Visiting children as well as children who live on the farm are subject to injury from livestock, especially from large-animal livestock Livestock production areas present a considerable danger for children. "Children are simply not aware of the dangers that lurk there," Maher explains.

Children are inquisitive and believe they are invincible. Maher admits that it’s not easy to keep them safe and out of danger. "But it is a very necessary task," he says. Between 1991 and 1996 320 North Dakota children were injured because of animals and farm machinery. Of those injuries, 252 happened to children 10 years old and younger.

"Farming is the only industry where children under 16 years of age are fatally injured in occupational accidents - don't let or expect your child do the work of an adult," states Jack Burke of the National Safety Council.

Unnecessary risk can be reduced or even eliminated by managing the farmstead for safety. Some of these ideas may work for you:

• Give children a safety tour of the farm. Show them where they are not allowed to play and give reasons why they are not allowed to play there. Point out the dangers.
• Confine youngsters to a fenced safe play area that is connected to the house.
• When adults can’t be around, place a responsible older child in charge of the youngsters. Before taking this course of action, be sure child in charge is mature enough for the task.
• Neighboring farm families can sometimes share child care and supervision responsibilities. Establish a cooperative rural child care program.
• Request the help of grandparents or in-laws who would be willing to supervise the youngsters.

"Farm machinery has one seat, and it is for the driver, only," Maher says. "Children should not be allowed to ride along on farm machinery. No one, especially children, should have to hang on for dear life through a morning or afternoon in the fields. If the child should fall from the tractor it is not likely that the machinery could be stopped in time to prevent a disaster. The tractor or combine is no place to baby sit."

###

Source: George Maher, (701) 231-8288, gmaher@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu

Click here to download an Audio clip to accompany this story. (730KB wav file)

Click here to download an Audio clip to accompany this story. (704KB wav file)