Dee Jepsen
Extension Associate
Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Farms are fun places to live. They are also neat places to visit. There are lots of new things to do and fun areas to explore. But farms are also places where you can get hurt. Here are three dangers to remember.
Real tractors are not toys: never play in places where they are working. Tractors have big wheels, and it's hard for farmers to see little kids walking up to them. Even when tractors are not moving, playing on them is dangerous. You can fall off or cut yourself on sharp parts.
Farm animals are not pets: they can kick you or bite you. Stay away from them. Take a grown-up with you when you want to go around farm animals.
Ponds are not swimming pools: farm animals drink water from ponds. Some farmers raise fish in ponds. Turtles, frogs, and birds, live near ponds, too. Ponds may look like swimming pools, but they are not. Always go with an adult when you want to visit a pond. Never swim or fish alone.
Children tend to be fascinated by the farm environment. They enjoy adventure and exploring new things, but this curiosity is potentially dangerous. Farm equipment, livestock and drowning are the primary causes of farm related accidents among youth. Farm equipment accidents can occur when children wander into work areas without adults noticing their presence. Teach youngsters to avoid farm machinery. Reinforce the "machinery off-limits rule" by never allowing them to ride on equipment as passengers. Also, teach your children the difference between farm animals and pets. Make sure they know to stay away from farm animals unless they are accompanied by an adult. Finally, teach children that ponds are dangerous. If possible, keep ponds fenced-off so children may not wander too close. Approximately 100 children die and 100,000 are injured on farms every year. Don't allow your child to become a statistic. If educated properly, children can have exciting and safe experiences on farms!
Sources: 1) Bean, T. Working Safely With Livestock. AEX-990. Agricultural Engineering Department Fact Sheet. The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. 2) Bean, T. Farm Pond Safety. AEX-390. Agricuultuural Engineering Department Fact Sheet. The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. 3) Rivera Study, forthcoming
Reviewed by: Dr. Thomas L. Bean, State Safety Leader; Richard Stowell, Extension, Agricultural Engineer; Becky Cropper, 4-H, Youth & Community Development Agent; Alyssa Wiles, age 4.
Acknowledgement: The author wishes to thank Kristi Kress for her contributions to this publication. Kristi is an Agricultural Communications major at The Ohio State University.
Click here for a PDF version of this fact sheet.
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Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ag. Adm. and Director, OSU Extension.
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