Children need to know about the dangers on the farm and how to avoid them.
That was the purpose of Alberta Farm Safety Centre safety smarts instructor Reanne Dennison’s visit to Dunstable School, Jan. 22.
AFSC is a non-profit organization that promotes safe agricultural practices through the development of and delivery of educational practices to Kindergarten to Grade 6 students.
When the Barrhead Leader visited, Dennison was giving a presentation to a Grade 1/2 split class.
“If you live on a farm or out in the country you are so lucky. There is fresh air, lots of space and so many things to do, but it can also be very dangerous. That’s why it’s so important to think about safety,” she said, adding that is something she tries to instill in her two children. “Because if we are hurt, we can’t have fun. ”
One of the best ways to stay safe Dennison said is to adhere to the one-seat, one-rider rule when riding on any off-highway vehicle (OHV) or farm equipment.
She recounted a story about a young boy who was sitting on the back of a lawnmower with his grandmother who was mowing her lawn.
“He fell off and his leg got caught under the lawn mower and it was cut off,” Dennison said, noting the boy survived and after many months of painful rehabilitation and a prosthetic limb is living a normal life.
She added even though ATVs and quads look like they are able to accommodate more than one rider, they are actually designed for only one.
“Quads have a tendency to flip over and when there is more than one person on them, not only is there the danger of falling over and hurting yourself, it also increases the chances of them flipping over and falling on you and they are really heavy,” she said.
In addition to only having one rider, Dennison told students it is important to wear the appropriate safety equipment when riding any OHV or a horse, noting it is especially important to wear a helmet.
“It protects our heads, which are very sensitive and vulnerable and we need to protect them. We need our heads, because they house our brains, which is our computer and without it we cannot survive,” she said. “It is also the law, so a police officer can write you a ticket if you are not wearing a helmet.
The Alberta government made it mandatory for riders of any OHV, including quads, dirt bikes and side-by-sides, to wear a helmet while on Crown land.
Dennison then talked about the importance of only playing in safe areas.
“Should we be playing on farm equipment like a jungle gym? No, because it isn’t safe. It’s the same with animals and livestock. Bulls can be really mean and weigh more than a classroom of children and the same with cows. Even the friendly ones can be mean if they feel they are threatened,” she said. “There are more appropriate, safe places to play like the yard. If you are curious and want to explore make sure you have an adult with you.”
Dennison concluded her presentation reading ‘What If’, a children’s storybook designed to help them identify dangers on a farm.
For more information about farm and quad safety visit AFSC’s website at www.cabfarmsafety.com
