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Reminders About Rural Risks

How to Prevent Injuries and Fatalities to Our Next Generation of Farmers

Safety Guidelines by Age

Ages 4 and Under
At this age, a child’s curiosity outweighs any consideration of
danger. Parents should consistently set a good example on how to
properly perform farm-related activities:
• Constantly supervise children. Keep them in a fenced-off
play area away from farming activities when outside.
• Prohibit children from riding or playing on farm
machinery even with an adult present. Preschoolers see
this equipment as a toy.
• Remove items such as ladders or crates that children can
use for climbing.
• Store poisonous materials locked up and out of reach.

Ages 5 to 6
At this age, children should continue to learn
through touching and exploring. It is
important for these children to be allowed to
perform only small tasks on the farm:
• Supervise children outdoors at all
times.
• Encourage safe behavior around animals by allowing
children to feed and care for small family pets such as
dogs and cats. Children this age should never go near
larger farm livestock.
Ages 7 to 9
Exploration and creativity are important factors to this age group, as
are parental acceptance and approval. Children at this age are easily
distracted and should be supervised:
• Review safety rules with the child before designating a
task. Make sure the child understands exactly what needs
to be done.
• Assign and demonstrate the proper way to perform simple
farm-related tasks, such as planting/watering the family
garden or weeding/picking small field crops.

Ages 10 to 11
As children continue to grow, they may appear ready for more
responsibility. However, a parent should never mistake a child’s
size for an ability to work:
• Parents should assess the child’s alertness and ability to
perform the work, and continually enforce safety.
• Allow children to assist with the handling of animals.
Make sure to closely supervise children while performing
tasks such as feeding calves or distributing hay to cows.
• Teach children how to assist with outdoor projects such as
raking, digging or cleaning barns and stalls.
• Allow children to use small unpowered hand tools but
supervise them at all times.

Ages 12 to 14
This age group can potentially be most at risk as many adolescents
are greatly influenced by peer pressure. They are rapidly growing,
but lack coordination and possess an intense desire to impress
others. Often, they participate in risky activities and reject parental
supervision:
• Parents should present clear and consistent rules and
discuss the consequences and rewards.
• Make sure that adolescents understand the job to be
performed and how to do it properly and safely.
• Children should not operate any power equipment until
they have been properly trained.
• Teach children how to properly use small power
equipment — such as hand tools — based on
training, maturity and readiness to handle them.
• Never allow young adolescents to operate tractors, allterrain
vehicles (ATVs) or other heavy machinery.
• Prohibit children this age from lifting heavy boxes, crates
or other objects. Lifting can inflict excessive strain and injury