Free course underlining children’s safety on farms launches
24th July 2024
Wales Farm Safety Partnership and Lantra Cymru have created a new e-learning course, ‘Children on Farms’, which guides farmers on how to keep children safe on farms during the upcoming summer holidays.
The course, which takes about 45 minutes to complete, provides participants with the knowledge and tools to ensure a safe and enjoyable summer for the whole family.
The organisers of the initiative said that the course covers a wide range of child safety topics on the farm, including legal responsibilities, vehicle safety (tractors, ATVs), preventing falls, and managing hazards around equipment and harmful substances. It also emphasises the importance of creating a farm safety checklist.
Free course for busy farmers
Lantra Wales director, Kevin Thomas, said: “Lantra understand the importance of children on family farms and fully support the need for the next generation to have a keen interest on the day-to-day workings of the farm, but it must be done with safety in mind.
“Lantra are fully committed to farm safety, especially for children, which is why Lantra have made this course free for everyone to complete”.
The organisers added that this timely resource is perfect for busy farmers who want to be proactive about child safety before the summer break.
A toolkit on child safety has also been created to underline the safety of children on farms.
Farms can be a dangerous place for children. Young children need a safe play area separate from the work zones, and for older children (under 16), any visit to the work area must be planned, closely supervised by an adult that’s not working, and for educational purposes.
READ MORE: Farm Safety Week launches: ‘Actions and attitudes of farmers need a major rethink’
Keeping safety in mind
Wales Farm Safety Partnership and Lantra Cymru added that everyone in a farm work place has a responsibility to protect children who are vulnerable because of their age and physical and mental immaturity.
Vehicles and machinery present the greatest risk to children and are probably the areas of farm life most attractive to older children.
Meleri Jones, Farming Connect’s health and safety coordinator, added: “It’s important to keep safety in mind when children are on farm – you don’t want to live with regret.”
For more information on the safety of children on farms, visit the Farming Connect website. To complete the Children on Farms e-learning module, click here.
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