School’s out, which means a lot more kids and teenagers will be helping around the farm this summer. For many farm families, summer also brings more hired help onto farms, including teenagers who may not have grown up around livestock, machinery or day-to-day farm work.
While farm kids often become comfortable around equipment and chores at a young age, familiarity can sometimes make people overlook risks. For youth with little agricultural experience, those risks can be even greater. Farms remain busy worksites filled with hazards many other jobs do not have, from large animals and machinery to heat stress and chemical exposure.
The National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety (NCCRAHS) encourages farms to match jobs with a child’s age, experience and physical ability. Tasks adults handle every day can quickly become dangerous when youth take on work beyond their skill level.
The following safety reminders can help farms prepare young workers for a safer and more productive summer on the operation.
Supervision and Training
A lot of farm tasks become second nature for adults, which can make it easy to forget how unfamiliar they may feel to younger workers. Whether it’s a child helping after school or a hired teenager spending their first summer on a farm, taking extra time to walk through jobs and explain possible risks can go a long way.
- Assign chores appropriate for the youth’s age and ability
- Provide adult supervision based on the task and experience level
- Demonstrate tasks before youth attempt them
- Have youth safely complete a task several times before working alone
- Encourage questions when youth are unsure how to handle a situation
- Inspect work areas for hazards before work begins
Equipment and Clothing
Equipment and facilities also deserve a close look before youth begin working. Guards, shields and ventilation systems should be working properly, and adults should inspect work areas for hazards beforehand. Loose clothing, untied hair and improper footwear can also increase injury risk around machinery and livestock.
- Ensure machinery is mechanically sound with guards and shields in place
- Make sure ventilation systems are functioning properly
- Require gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, or masks when needed
- Avoid loose clothing and drawstrings around equipment
- Require non-slip shoes or boots and tied-back hair
Heat and Health Precautions
Long hours in the heat can quickly lead to dehydration or heat exhaustion, especially for younger workers eager to keep up with adults. Having water nearby, scheduling breaks and teaching youth how to recognize warning signs can help prevent dangerous situations.
- Keep drinking water close to the work area
- Provide regular rest and stretch breaks
- Teach youth to recognize heat exhaustion and hypothermia symptoms
- Maintain clean handwashing and bathroom facilities
- Train youth to clean and sanitize PPE and clothing after work
Animal and High-Risk Tasks
Livestock handling is another area requiring extra attention. Even calm animals can react unpredictably, particularly in stressful situations or unfamiliar environments. Experts recommend reserving work involving aggressive or unpredictable animals for older, experienced individuals.
- Keep youth away from dangerous or unpredictable animals
- Reserve work involving bulls, boars, or animals with newborns for older youth
- Limit ladder and elevated work to older, trained individuals
- Keep exceptionally dangerous tasks reserved for adults, including:
- Working in manure pits
- Working around flowing grain
- Using chainsaws
- Handling pesticides or hazardous chemicals
Summer on the farm often creates some of the best memories for kids and teenagers. But while the work can be rewarding and fun, farms are still busy worksites where accidents can happen quickly. Taking extra time to slow down, explain tasks and keep safety top of mind can help make sure summer stays productive, positive, and safe for everyone involved.
