Keeping children safe while they live, play and work on farms can be challenging. It’s even more difficult during harvest season, peak time for agricultural injuries.
A webinar exploring childhood farm hazards will be presented at noon central time, Wednesday, September, 23, by two members of the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety: Youth Agricultural Safety Specialist Marsha Salzwedel, and Project Manager Bryan Weichelt.
Each year, news headlines tell grim but preventable stories of death and injury. Non-working children, ages 6-and-under, are particularly vulnerable, Salzwedel said. This webinar will describe actual childhood injury incidents and preview an injury news clippings website. Topics covered will include:
- Tractors and equipment (run-overs and falls, entanglement, etc.)
- Engulfment and suffocation hazards with grain harvesting and storage
- Hazards resulting from harvesting crops (picking fruit/vegetables, urban/community gardens, etc.)
- Exposures/hazards while visiting farms (hay rides, corn mazes, farmers’ markets, etc.)
The webinar will also describe proven safety strategies and resources that farmers, parents and employers are encouraged to use to keep children safe. Time will be provided for questions and discussion.
AgriSafe Network is hosting the webinar as part of its National Farm Safety and Health Week series. To register for the free webinar, go to agn.memberclicks.net/live-webinars.
For more information about National Farm Safety and Health Week (Sept. 20-26), go to www.necasag.org.
The National Children’s Center (www.marshfieldclinic.org/nccrahs) is part of Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, Marshfield, Wis.
Leave a Reply