Child Safety Tips for the Farm, Ranch and Home

Child Safety on the Farm:

• Do not allow children to roam freely on the farm. Design a fenced safe play area. This area should be near the house and away from work activities.

• Inspect your farm on a regular basis for hazards that can injure children wandering on your farm. Correct obvious hazards immediately.
• Children who are physically able to be involved in farm work should be assigned age-appropriate tasks and continually trained to perform them. They should also be constantly supervised.

Tractor Safety:

• Develop a "safety first" attitude. Follow safe work practices all the time and set a good example for others.
• Keep bystanders and others away from tractor operation area. Do not allow extra riders, especially children.  

All Terrain Vehicles:

• An ATV is not a toy. Children should not be permitted to operate ATVs without specialized training and then they should be allowed to only operate an ATV of an appropriate size.
• ATVs with an engine size of 70cc to 90cc should be operated by people at least 12 years of age.

Grain Storage Safety:

• Label grain bins to warn of entrapment hazards.
• Lock entrances to grain handling areas to keep bystanders and children out.
• Install ladders inside bins.
• Keep bystanders and children away from grain bins and grain handling equipment.

Chemical Safety:

• Always read packaging labels. All crop protection chemicals include information on the proper use of the chemical; its proper handling, safe storage and first aid information.
• Keep crop protection chemicals in storage areas that can be locked to keep bystanders and children out. Be sure to label the storage area as containing pesticides.

Livestock Safety:

• Keep children and bystanders out of livestock handling areas.
• Animals can be unpredictable. Be sure you understand some of the common instincts of animals.
• Sudden or loud noises can frighten animals.
• Cattle and horses can see everything around them except directly behind their hindquarters.

 
Electrical Safety:

• Do have a qualified electrician check the wiring.
• Don’t overload outlets.
• Don’t use electrical appliances or talk on the phone during an electrical storm.
• Do wait until the storm passes.

Fire Safety:
 

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home so that family members can hear them wherever they are.
• Never disconnect smoke alarms or take out the batteries.
• Keep combustible materials, such as kitchen towels and newspapers, away from heat sources, such as candles, burners and portable heaters.   
• In case of fire, leave your home immediately. Don’t try to save anything. Call the fire department from a neighbor’s house.

Lawn Mower Safety:
 

• Wear appropriate clothes.  
• Never point the discharge chute at anyone.  
• Never leave a running mower unattended.  
• Make sure other people, especially children, are out of the area.

Sun and Heat Exposure:
 

• Wear a wide-brimmed hat to keep your head and face cool. This will also provide added protection from damaging sun exposure. Baseball caps provide little protection except to the face. A hat should protect the neck, face and ears.   
• Wear a long-sleeved shirt at all times. It should be light colored and loose fitting except when working around machinery.   
• Carry a source of water with you. Take drinks frequently—every 15 minutes.   
• Take frequent breaks in the shade or in a cool environment during the hottest times of the day.   
• Adjust gradually to working in the heat over a period of 10-20 days.   
• Someone suffering from heat exhaustion or heat stroke should be moved to a cool environment, offered sips of water, if conscious, and provided with attention from emergency medical personnel.   
• Wear sunscreen that has an SPF of at least 15. Make sure children are also adequately protected.   

Inspection:
 

• Is fresh water available?  
• Is sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 on hand?  
• Is protective clothing available and being worn?
  
  
  For more information:

            ●          Dr. Kevin Humphrey, Director, Agriculture Education, College of Agriculture

            Arkansas State University, email: jhumphre@astate.edu

●          National Safety Council Agriculture Division
●          National Fire Protection Association