NFU Scotland is reminding farmers and crofters with children to take extra care when allowing them on farm while the schools are closed
Farms and crofts are fantastic places for children to grow up but they can also be extremely dangerous. During this extended period of time away from school, many children will have to be at their family homes for the foreseeable future and for the children of farmers and crofters this will mean being in and around the family farm.
NFU Scotland is reminding farming families with children off school to employ the highest possible safety measures.
Taking time to check over the farm or croft and making any adjustments for the safety of children could safe injury and life.
It is important to set up clear boundaries for children when they are on farm, making sure they are only there when they can be properly supervised and there is no work going on which could be considered dangerous. It is also critical that provision is put in place to social distance from workers or delivery personnel who are not members of the immediate household.
NFU Scotland Vice President Charlie Adam, who sits on the UK Farm Safety Partnership, said: “We all want our children to be involved in farm life but it is more important to make sure we create a safe environment on farm.
“Technology has changed so much in recent years, which has made a lot of work much more effective but has also made it a lot more dangerous for children to be in or around farm activities. We need to, as an industry, to accept the change in times and change our practices with it. Farms are not playgrounds and we need to keep children off farm whenever it is not completely safe to have them there. Keeping our children safe and sound has to be a priority for all of us.”
