Slayton Tyler Mooney with his "mammaw," Dianna Mooney Dixon, Kentucky

Why are children at risk?
Farm Related Characteristics

• closeness of occupation and living arrangements
• isolation of farmstead
• hectic schedules which can lead to more unsupervised time for kids
• proximity of play areas to powerful and large equipment at work

Child Related Characteristics

• inexperience
• lack of knowledge
• often under-trained
• naturally curious

Add to the above characteristics diverse strengths, body sizes, and abilities of children.

Rules are Important
Setting and enforcing consistent rules is important. Talk to your grandchildren's parents about family farm rules. Don't put kids in the position to make a decision about which rule to follow.

Prevention
We want to keep kids safe on the farm. Your job as a role model for safe behavior is an important one. As a grandparent, you have the advantage of time, experience, and wisdom to be a conscientious observer and safe role model.

• Provide a safe play area for children that is more interesting than a farmyard.
• Supervise children and coach them in tasks appropriate for their age and ability level.
• Set up a plan of action and explain to children a safe response to an emergency
• Keep all machinery in good shape, shielded properly, and stored securely.
• Ensure proper training of young people if they will be operating farm implements. Remember, kids are eager to please and often don't know when to ask a question.

Interactive Ideas
Do you ever wonder how to entertain the kids when they come to visit?

Most children look forward to visiting the farm, whether the farm is a new and exciting experience or part of their everyday life. Either way, you want them to enjoy themselves and have a great and safe experience while there.

Outdoor Activities

• Take a walk to collect insects and check the condition of crops.
• Conduct a hunt to identify safety hazards.
• Do simple chores such as pet care, gardening, or raking leaves.
• Use the pickup to check out the livestock in the back pasture.
• Just plain talking or star gazing is a great way to spend time together.

Indoor Activities

• Make a family tree, adding old photographs and talking about safe family practices.
• Find farm scene pictures in magazines and talk about today's machinery.
• Cook easy and favorite foods, passing along seasonal traditions.
• Story telling of "golden olden" days is a favorite of people young and old alike.

The Young Farm Generation
Being a farm grandparent is a great experience. Ask someone who has had the opportunity and they will probably tell you it's like being a parent only better. You don't have to be a biological grandparent to have a great time with kids when they visit your farm.

With this special bond comes a feeling of responsibility to prevent children and youth from experiencing injuries on the farm. As farmers in farm communities, virtually all of us know either first hand or of someone close that has experienced the pain of farm-related injury or death. This is the last thing we want to happen to the small ones we care about.

Older Farmers At Risk on the Farm
Kids are not the only ones at risk on the farm. Workers 55 years of age and older account for approximately half of all farm deaths, and have fatality rates at least 2.5 times higher than younger workers (Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1999). Many reasons exist for these high numbers. Sensory loss, loss in muscle and skeletal strength, slower reaction time, and more rapid fatigue all influence injury incidence rates. Reduced ability to handle farm tasks and the dependence on automatic, rather than attentive behaviors, also impact susceptibility to injury.

Prevention