Case studies on child safety from farms - Australian Centre for ...

These accidents made the Sadlers aware of just how important the issue wasand how people in the region needed constant reminding because it was soeasy to lapse into a false sense of security.Christine has been a guest speaker at schools in the district and has placedstories in the local papers about accidents and near accidents. She believesthat reading about other people's accidents is the best way to get themessage through on farm safety.Farmsafe crosswords, puzzles and poems were used to promote farm safetyin the media. Christine has adhered hundreds of farm safe stickers on to utesand other machinery and given out thousands of pamphlets on safety at fielddays, clearing sales and the local footy!Christine subsequently started a Careful Cocky column in the local FarmWeekly that has been going now for five to six years. She still contributes to itoccasionally but it is now self sustaining. There are many steps that theSaddlers have taken to make their farm safer for kids. These includerestricting play to near the house, making dams and old wellsinaccessible andprohibiting travel on the backs of utes."The houses are properly fenced off and we have never allowed the kidsaround machinery or on motor bikes. Don wouldn't let the kids ride amotorbike until they were old enough to be able to pick it up and they alwayshad to wear a helmet. Don always wears a helmet and goggles on the biketoo."Christine and Don's son Darren is now helping to run the farm and safetymeasures are still being implemented. Most recently new safety ladders wereinstalled on 12 silos on the property. Safety rails near the shearing shed stepswere installed and the workshop is now lockable.Christine also believes that farm women play a vital role in farm safety:"If a woman chooses to help run the farm, her role can be paramount incontributing to farm safety around the home and workplace. It is a full timerewarding and stimulating job being in the home on a farm, and contributing ina worthwhile way to everything happening around you. I think farm safety is atrisk when there is not that extra person (especially the female aspect) to addideas and comments to discussions on farm safety."Next page