Alma Jordan of AgriKids told us how important it is to make kids Farm Safety Ambassadors this Farm Safety Week.
In August 2014, two children were killed in separate farm accidents. Having grown up on a farm, and at that time living on a farm with her 2-year-old son Eamon, Alma Jordan was deeply affected by the tragedies.
It was her realisation that that could have been her son, or any of us, that set her on her search for child appropriate farm safety material.
Her research proved futile as all the material available was aimed at the farmers, "men for the most part, who are too busy on the farm to engage with them [the guidelines]".
"It completely missed women and children - the one's who worry for their safety, and are ultimately left behind."
When Alma launched AgriKids with then Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney in August 2015, she was adamant "to start the farm safety conversation at the kitchen table... through the powerful medium of the family."
Since launching her collection of farm safety story books, Alma has reached out to almost 12,000 children through library and school workshops in just 2 years.
Her mission is simple; "To engage, educate and empower children to be farm safety ambassadors."
Alma does not believe in excluding kids from the farm. Despite being "the most dangerous workplace for the last eight years," she says, "It's also your home, and a part of your life."
More importantly, she acknowledges: "The farm provides a learning experience."
"It's not about exclusion, it's about limited exposure. It's about being responsible in the farming environment."
Here are some of the AgriKids farm safety tips:
- Start the conversation at the kitchen table. Planning is key. Everyone should know what's going on on the farm everyday.
- Lead by example. Farm Safety is important for everyone. Children copy what they see practiced around them.
- It's a good idea to have a list of emergency numbers pasted up for everyone to see. Living in a rural area, having your eircode on show for everyone to see is also a good idea. Have an action plan in the event of an emergency and keep your first aid kit stocked and accessible.
- Age Appropriate jobs: Alma's 6 year old son Eamon counts the chickens, collects the eggs and stacks the buckets. Alma says that young children should not drive tractors and tractors should never be modified for young children to reach the peddles.
- Just like safety proofing your home, there should be boundaries and rules on the farm. For example, during slurry season or ploughing when the risk of accidents increases, children should be aware and be limited on the farm.
This Farm Safety Week AgriKids have some extra summertime farm safety tips for all the family:
1. Make sure children are always supervised on the farm.
2. Use farm visits as an opportunity to explain dangers with tractors, animals, chemicals, climbing bales, etc.
3. Explain what the various symbols mean on signage.
4. Set up a dedicated play area – farmyards are not playgrounds.
For more information on Farm Safety click here
Teagasc and HSA have also produce child-friendly farm safety videos like this one
Sharon McGuinness, Chief Executive of HSA spoke on Morning Ireland this morning about Farm Safety Week. Listen back to the interview here:-
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