Kidsafe Victoria is calling for farm-based parents and carers, including those in Sunbury and the Macedon Ranges, to take “urgent action” and set up safe areas for kids to play, to reduce the number of unintentional childhood injuries and deaths.
Recent Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit (VISU) data reveals that over 2022-21, 441 children aged between zero and 14 years old were treated in hospital as a result of a a farm related injury. That’s more than eight kids a week.
“Alarmingly, this is a 12 per cent increase on the previous year and the largest number since 2018-19,” Kidsafe Victoria said.
Kidsafe Victoria general manager Jason Chambers said it was the combination of a home and an industrial workplace that means children on farms can be exposed to more hazards.
“Common injury hazards for children on farms include vehicles (e.g. tractors, motorbikes and quad bikes), animals, water hazards (e.g. dams, rivers, creeks and animal drinking troughs), machinery and poisons,” Mr Chambers said.
Recent research by the National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) revealed not all farms have a secure fence around the farm house or garden, despite it being an effective way of restricting children’s access to hazards.
NCFH research assistance and PhD candidate Jessie Adams said 48 per cent of parents surveyed did not have a fence around their farm house or garden to keep children away from hazards. She said a further 20 per cent reported they had a fence but it wasn’t fully enclosed or secure.
“Over half (52 per cent) of parents surveyed believe there are not enough resources to educate them on what they need to do,” Ms Adams said.
Kidsafe Victoria strongly recommends that all farming families create a securely fenced safe play area which:
• Is close to the home and clearly visible
• Is securely fenced and separated from hazards such as vehicles, bodies of water and animals
• Has adequate shade as well as a range of fun and interesting things for children to do
“Along with active adult supervision, creating a safe play area is one of the most effective ways to keep your kids safe from the vast range of hazards that exist on farms. It can give you peace of mind that your little one will be kept well out of harm’s way while you go about your daily routine and work on the farm,” Mr Chambers said.
Kidsafe Victoria will educate kids thorugh a farm safety competition, where all preschoolers and primary school aged children are invited to get creative and design educational materials that promote injury prevention on the farm.
The competition theme is about how everyone can take part in making farms safe for all people, encouraging kids to become a ‘Farm Safety Hero’.
Details: bit.ly/3OsAkbE.
