Yikes! It’s a bovine gone bonkers! And while you’re at it, stay clear of the pitchfork!
Okay, so it’s never really that scary, but a farm can be a dangerous place if visitors—especially children—don’t follow some common sense safety rules. We all know how our relatives can end up in harm’s way when they visit with our horses, right? Now farm animals have starring roles in a new compact disc series created to educate children about the potential dangers found on the farm.
“As farmers approach fall harvesting, farm safety is of high concern for workers and especially for parents of farm children,” says Vickie Harbert of Farm Safety USA which produced the four CD series.
Harbert says family members and friends have been injured in farm-related accidents, which is what motivated her to produce the series to help educate kids and grown-ups.
Using voices of farm animals, The Fun Farm targets children and teens. In a light-hearted manner, the animals remind children of dangers found on the farm and what they can do to avoid injury during harvest season and all year long.
“Most accidents are avoidable by safety education,” says Harbert, “and we hope that the CD series will help save lives and prevent injuries.”
Nationwide, more than 300 children die on farms every year, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. It’s usually children between the ages of 9 and 15 who are most at risk. The bulk of those injuries, experts say, are preventable.
To hear a sample of the “Fun Farm” audio series, visit www.farmsafetyusa.com.