Children

It is a sad fact that there are many children killed on Farms around the world and the UK is no exception.  It is often argued that children who have been brought up on farms understand the risks but the fact is that most children who die in farm incidents are family members.  Children are by their very nature curious and are still developing the skills required to identify and assess dangers and hazards.  They do not see things the same way that adults do.  

Risk assessments undertaken for adults may not be suitable and sufficient for children.  There are different legal requirements related to children and risk assessments must ensure that they take account of their inexperience and lack of risk awareness. 

Where possible children should be kept out of work areas and where this is not possible they should be supervised at all times. They should never be permitted to enter high risk areas. 

Fatalities in recent years involving children include:

• being run over by farm vehicles
• falling from tractors
• falling onto equipment such as PTOs
• falling into slurry lagoons
• asphyxiation due to slurry gases
• falling from/trapped underneath overturned ATV's
• trampled/crushed by animals
• contact with machinery/equipment
• struck by falling objects
• falling from height

All too often young children will be observed in the cab of a tractor alongside a parent or a grandparent however, it is illegal to carry children under the age of 13 in the cab of an agricultural vehicle.   In fact the law states that no child under the age of 13 may drive or ride on tractors and other self propelled machines in agriculture. 

Vehicles, machinery and equipment are not the only risk and when assessing the risks you should look at the farm from a child's point of view.  Examples of other hazards include:

• tyres that are stored upright
• gates that are not properly secured or are not fixed at all
• chemicals and veterinary medicines that have not been adequately secured 
• bales that have not been correctly stacked
• unfenced lagoons
• access to danger areas not being secured
• unlocked grain stores
• access ladders not secured to prevent unauthorised use.