Youth Agricultural Safety Fact Sheet
DESCRIPTION
The objective is to provide basic information regarding the health and safety of youth in and around agricultural operations.
FACTS
• Children 20 years of age or younger account for 104 deaths annually on farms and ranches.
• Two common causes for agriculturally related child fatalities are drowning or machinery incidents.
• Most non-fatal injuries are caused by livestock or falls.
• Children injured on agricultural worksites are often bystanders.
KEEPING YOUTH SAFE
• Keep children in age appropriate farm tasks.
• Provide properly sized and age appropriate personal protective equipment.
• Never leave children unsupervised.
• Limit the access of non-working children from the agricultural worksite.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER
• Make sure children possess the strength, coordination, and motor skills to minimize risks on the farm workplace.
• Children should have the cognitive capacity to recognize and react to potential hazards.
• The ability to follow instructions is a skill children must have.
• The physical size of a child may be a factor to consider when bringing them to the worksite.
PROMOTING SAFETY
• Arrange for child care for non-working children.
• Teach children about hazards and dangers from a young age.
• Recognize and obey child labor laws.
*Image courtesy of Safety in Agriculture for Youth (SAY)*
