Q: Our grandchildren will be here next week to spend 10 days with Grandpa and me while their parents are off to Italy. Grandpa and I are excited. At the same time, we are cautious. Nothing could be worse for us than to have one of our grandchildren injured on the farm. We sat down to take an inventory of what could potentially hurt them. The list is overwhelming.
Both of us grew up on the farm. Neither of us thought of the farm as anything but a safe place. Things have changed, probably for the better, but in terms of safety, I wonder if we haven’t compromised ourselves too much. It is discouraging to see the list of things to watch out for while our grandchildren visit. Do you have any suggestions?
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A: I am glad you are making a special effort to ensure that your grandchildren will be safe.
Many of the farms I visit have a designated area for children. The kids are not allowed out of the area unless accompanied by an adult and no one is allowed to bring either heavy machinery or unpredictable livestock into the children’s playground.
Your grandchildren are not likely to go beyond the rules you have in place to protect them but you have to be clear and concise about what those rules are.
Do not limit your discussions to city kids visiting your farm. Farm kids are no safer than town kids.
Between 1990 and 2008, 71 percent of children killed on the farm were farmers’ children. Ten percent were visitors to the farm and nine percent were relatives to the farm, according to Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting.
You might also rethink your safety plans for elders on the farm.
Between 1990 and 2008, the highest rates for death by farm accidents were found men 80 years and older.
Most farm deaths were machinery related (rollovers, runovers, entanglements). Those huge machines that are comfortable and easier to run are also more complicated.
Sometimes it’s difficult to convince older farmers that they need a little upgrading in their skills before heading out to the fields in a more modern piece of machinery.
I hope that once you have finished your safety inventory for your grandchildren, you carry on your discussions and make your farm safe for everyone.
