A girl under the age of five died this weekend in a tractor accident. A relative was behind the wheel.
Farming can be a dangerous environment. Every year, children are killed on farms, where tractor accidents are the most common cause of death.
Children who grow up in an agricultural environment have a higher risk of accidents than children in other growing up environments, according to figures from Sweden’s Municipalities and Regions (SKR).
– You have to be aware of the risks that it means to have small children together with large animals and machines and other things, says Anders Danielson, work environment expert at the National Association of Farmers.
Fatal accidents reduced
In the past, four to five children died each year in farm accidents. That number appears to have decreased, according to Danielson, but tractor accidents are still the most common cause of death.
– In almost all of these tragic cases, a tractor is involved. Children and tractors are not a good combination, they must be kept apart.
One explanation for why tractor accidents are so common is that it is difficult for the driver to have an overview.
– The machines have become bigger and bigger, it is difficult for the driver to see behind the machines.
“Review agriculture”
To prevent accidents, it is important that farmers are well informed about the type of preventive safety work they can do on their farm, according to Danielson.
– It makes sense to regularly look over the farm, especially if you get visits during the summer from the children’s peers who may not be so used to being in that environment.
– The farm is both home, workplace and playground. You have to make sure that you arrange special places where the children can stay safely, a playground or something else where you don’t have to stay among machines and other things that are the biggest risk.
FACTS
Fatal accidents involving children
Every year between 25 and 40 children die in accidents in Sweden, which is a sharp reduction seen over a longer period of time. Traffic accounts for most fatal accidents and less than five of these now occur on farms.
A survey from 2016 shows that every third agricultural accident affects a family member.
60 percent of accidents involving children on farms occur despite an adult being present.
The parents in the survey said that they are worried about the risks and that they talk a lot with their children about where on the farm they are allowed to move. Many felt that it was important that the children were allowed to participate early in order to learn the profession and to learn to manage the risks.
Sources: Occupational and Environmental Medicine Syd at Lund University, SLU and the Swedish Forensic Medicine Agency
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