Over the past nine years, I have worked closely with dairy farmers and their employees to develop safety trainings. One lesson I learned quickly was that most people do not enjoy talking about safety. The seriousness of the subject can be overwhelming and it is just not a fun topic. If your neighbor came over for a cup of coffee and to have a chat, I bet safety would not be your topic of choice. However, we need to overcome the uncomfortableness talking about safety causes so we can ensure our employees and family members stay safe on our farms. In particular, it is important for our children to understand how to be safe.
I was once a farm kid growing up in the heart of Wisconsin’s Dairyland. My parents and grandparents routinely reminded me about the hazards on the farm and how to be safe. I am sure it was not easy for them, and they probably did not enjoy it, but it was necessary. I also remember attending Youth Safety Days as a child, during which experts would show us kids how to be safe on farms. These opportunities presented safety in a way that resonated with children. It was fun and interactive. Anything you can do to make learning about safety interesting to your children will make a big difference in how much they learn and retain.
As silage season approaches, now is the time to start having conversations about silage safety with your children. It is also the right time to put practices into place that will make this silage season safe. Below is a collection of five tips to help you keep this silage season safe for your children.
- Avoid bunker silos and drive-over piles. Although bunker silos and drive-over piles may look like fun places to climb and play, children should be taught to avoid these hazardous areas, especially during filling or feedout. Avalanches can occur at any time.
- Avoid the silage-making operation. Children should not be allowed near the silage-making operation because of the increased risk to their safety, as well as the distractions they may cause for equipment operators. Setting up a safe, supervised play area for children will put everyone’s mind at ease.
- High-visibility clothing. If children are in the farmyard during silage season, they should wear high-visibility clothing. This simple practice can be very impactful. Bright colors and even reflective clothing can catch an equipment operator’s attention and prevent an accident. This may be a practice you encourage for adults on the farm, too.
- No playing on equipment. It may seem like common sense to us, but sometimes machinery appears as an enticing piece of playground equipment. Help children understand that climbing on farm equipment is not safe, even if the equipment is parked and off.
- In case of an emergency … Do your children know what to do in case of an emergency? Do they know how to get help from an adult during an emergency? We hope our children never need to use this information, but are grateful they have it if they need it.
Safety talks are not fun for anyone, especially children. How can you make safety easier to understand for your children? Is there a way to teach them in a fun and interactive manner? Can the safety vest be considered a “superhero” vest?
Start planning now to make this silage season the safest for your children. Setting a good example is also important, so pull on your “superhero” vest and make this the safest (and most fun) silage season yet.
