Upcoming week focuses on farm safety

By JULIET BRISKIN | Staff writer

Sept. 16, 2004 - In farm, ranch and rural communities the cycle of life and death is witnessed on a daily basis, yet no amount of exposure to the harsh realities of an agricultural lifestyle can prepare one for the loss of a child. Emerging from such a tragedy, Marilyn Adams of Iowa, has become an advocate for children's farm safety issues and education.

Adams' mission began in 1986 after her 11-year-old son Keith Algreen suffocated in a gravity flow wagon of shelled corn. What started out as a campaign to promote awareness of the dangers of gravity flow wagons has turned into the internationally-recognized, non-profit organization, Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (FS4JK).

As the founder and president of FS4JK, Adams continues to work to educate rural families on the hazards of farm life and importance of creating a safe farm environment for children. Along with the FS4JK staff and a team of volunteers, Adams travels throughout the United States visiting farms and speaking at conferences, workshops, school programs and day camps.

FS4JK recently announced that it will celebrate National Farm Safety and Health Week, Sept. 19-25, with programs targeted at educating children and families about the leading cause of death to children on farm; tractors.

"We are proud to give the extra effort to support children during National Farm Safety and Health Week," stated Adams in a recent press release. "The safety and health of children, youth and farm families should be a goal year-round."

David Smith, Texas Cooperative Extension farm safety programs specialist, asserts that farm safety education is vital to children and families in rural communities. "In Texas 90 percent of the farming operations are family run and many of them don' t have any employees or they have very few," said Smith. "Because of this they aren't required to report any accidents. I think you are going to see a bigger priority place on child safety because of the liability issue."

Smith explained that educators interested in expanding their farm safety curriculum should start by looking at the laws written to protect children in agriculture.

"Very few people realize that these laws exist, but back in 1969 the Department of Labor declared many of the agricultural tasks in practice as hazardous for youths under 16," stated Smith. "I would then go to the organizations that offer basic farm safety information. FS4JK is a really good resource because their materials are tailored to kids, which is hard to find. Another good program is the Progressive Farmer Safety Day Camps. It is easy to organize a day camp with them and they are looking for opportunities to get the message out."

In addition to working with children, Smith believes strongly that an emphasis needs to placed on educating parents.

"Parents need to set a good example for safety and place more of a priority on safety than in the past," Smith stated. "Kids will generally do what you do and not necessarily what you say.

"If you allow kids to ride on tractor with you, it sends the message that its not a big deal to have extra riders, but parents need to know that approximately 80 percent of all tractor-run-over accidents involve kids under the age of 15 and it the leading cause of farm-related deaths for kids under 5 years of age."

According to the FS4Jk website, the "Keep On Track" program will emphasize not allowing extra riders on tractors, the benefits of protective structures, and the importance of proper training.

In addition to tractor safety, Smith added that hazardous chemicals on farms pose a huge risk to children. "Keep chemicals stored and locked away, especially when you have young kids around," he said. "Providing a safe place for kids to play, away from heavy equipment, is another important aspect of child safety.

"Also, I think its important for parents to evaluate each child's physical, mental and emotional maturity before assigning them tasks. Some kids just aren't ready for certain jobs and they don't know how to handle the situation. Most importantly, if kids see their parents valuing safety, they are more likely to place a priority on it themselves."

For more information on farm safety for children visit www.FS4JK.org.