Safer Farm Environments for Children

Abstract

The family farm has always been a place where work, play and life's other activities intertwine at a single location. Generations passed on there beliefs values and work ethics to succeeding generations through shared activities on the farm. Today however, the pastoral farming lifestyle is becoming a high-tech industry. Although the farm has always had its share of hazards, modern agriculture has become one of the nations most perilous industries. Because farm children live and play on the work site, they are exposed to potentially dangerous situations every day. This factsheet discusses the stages of child development, basic tenets of child safety, protection from hazards and safety education of children.