Protect the next generation

When it comes to youth operating farm equipment, many adults will say, “I did it when I was a kid and nothing happened to me.” But that isn’t the story for everyone.

This past summer, in Lancaster County, PA, two boys, ages 14 and 6, were together in a skid steer cleaning a barn. As the 14-year-old was lowering the machine’s arms, the younger boy attempted to exit the machine. As he tried to exit, he was struck in the head by the machine’s arm, resulting in his death.

Numerous incidents resulting in death or serious injury throughout the U.S. involve young people operating four-wheelers, sometimes alone, others with extra riders. A child on an open, heavy vehicle that can roll over easily is a recipe for disaster.

Many adult farmers recall learning to operate equipment at a young age. Some rode on the tractor fender or on someone’s lap; others were put in a skid steer to clean a barn because they had ridden with a parent “since they could sit up.” Many adults don’t think twice about putting a child on a piece of equipment and helping them work controls they clearly cannot reach on their own.

“Although we’ve made significant strides in reducing youth exposure to hazards, agriculture remains hazardous for children and youth,” said Melissa Ploeckelman Brown, outreach specialist with the National Children’s Center for Rural & Agricultural Health & Safety. “Agriculture is one of the most hazardous industries for young people. A child dies every three days in an agriculture-related incident, and about 33 children are seriously injured each day.”

The term “incident” is used to describe an unplanned event; “accident” implies the event was random or unpreventable. When “accident” is used in a news report, a safety investigation and prevention efforts are often brushed aside. The majority of youth injuries on the farm are preventable.

Brown said the leading cause of farm youth injuries are tractor runovers, machinery entanglement, rollovers and crashes with all-terrain vehicles (ATVs or four-wheelers), falls and drowning in manure pits, ponds and grain. Most incidents and injuries are preventable if parents are willing to make sure young people are truly capable of the task.

Cultivate Safety created the Agricultural Youth Work Guidelines (AYWG) and Hired Agricultural Youth Work Guidelines (HAYWG) to provide farm parents and employers with a clear, research-based method to match tasks with a young person’s abilities. Rather than asking “How old is this child?” the guidelines address “Is this youth physically, cognitively, socially and emotionally ready for this task?”

“By using the guidelines, parents can assign tasks that help youth learn and contribute safely while preparing them for more complex work tasks later,” said Brown. “Riding the four-wheeler is fun but it isn’t designed for youth.”

The Cultivate Safety website lists 50 of the most common tasks performed by youth on the farm. For each task, safety professionals have assessed hazards, physical requirements and readiness.

The “interact” segment includes a list of questions to determine whether the youth can perform the job safely, and whether they can be relied on to adhere to safety standards such as not wearing loose clothing, loose strings and long hair. Other questions address peripheral vision, proper bending technique, recognizing hazards, the ability to problem solve and awareness of escape routes. Most important is determining whether the young person will perform consistently as expected. Many of the questions include a link that leads to additional information or a short video on the topic.

The “read” segment lists youth responsibilities, including everything the youth must be able to do to perform the job safely. It also lists adult responsibilities for each task as well as appropriate supervision, potential hazards and protective strategies. Graphics provide easy instruction.

For example, in addition to being aware of and complying with clothing and hair requirements, a 14-year-old learning to connect and disconnect implements should have good peripheral vision, think through actions and consequences, know how to lift properly, understand and consistently repeat a 10-step process and safely demonstrate performing the job at least four times.

Adults have clear responsibilities when youth are engaged in farm tasks. They must ensure any equipment is mechanically sound with appropriate checks, check for good ventilation in the work area and be willing to teach the youth how to safely operate the equipment including hazard awareness.

Youth should be taught to be aware of and manage any hazards associated with the specific task, such as potentially slippery areas, adjusting controls for easy access, the risks of operating equipment after insufficient sleep, remaining hydrated, sufficiently dressing in winter clothing that isn’t oversized, using the correct tools in the correct way and wearing PPE when appropriate.

Standards for every task include hair tied up, appropriate clothing and footwear, no small children in work areas, no extra riders on equipment, no ATV use for those under 16 years, no cell phones while driving or operating equipment and always shutting down equipment before getting off. Every youth should know which adult to call if there’s a problem rather than trying to manage it alone.

Supervision is critical and should be done in increments. Young teens should have full supervision at first, which means the adult is within sound, sight and reach. After the youth has proven they are capable and trustworthy, the adult can slowly back off. Youth 16 and older can most likely be supervised intermittently, which means they can work with an adult out of sight but accessible.

“These steps not only reduce risk but build confidence and skills for youth,” said Brown. “Adults should always know where youth are if they are working.”

Promoting a culture of safety means modeling safe practices. Children learn from what we tell them but also from what they see us do as adults. If adults take shortcuts or engage in practices youth were told to not do, they are more likely to copy the behavior than the teaching.

“Talk openly about risk and show them safety is a family and community value,” said Brown. “It isn’t just a set of rules. The bottom line is knowing the law, following the law and using these guidelines to keep young workers safe. Even if something is legally allowed, it might not always be developmentally safe for the child.”

Access the Cultivate Safety guidelines at cultivatesafety.org/work.

by Sally Colby