Member for Barker Tony Pasin and local celebrity ‘George the Farmer’ have joined forces this week, National Farm Safety Week 2017 (July 17-21), to highlight the need for children and parents to be vigilant on farms.
“Agriculture is Barker’s largest industry meaning there are a large number of farms within the electorate and farms can be fun but also dangerous places,” Mr Pasin said.
As National Farm Safety Week falls in school holidays in South Australia, Mr Pasin and George the Farmer caught up to highlight the importance of children remaining safe on farms.
“This week is an opportunity to start a conversation about the dangers that exist on farms and a good reminder to us all that while farms can be fun places to live and work, we must all remain vigilant when it comes to safety especially for children,” said Mr Pasin.
According to FarmSafe Australia around 20 children under 15 years are fatally injured on an Australian farm every year. Many more are hospitalised or treated by General Practitioners across rural Australia. The major causes of child deaths and injuries on farms are dams, farm vehicles, machinery, motorcycles and horses.
A recent study of on-farm fatalities from 2001-2004 by the Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety found that children (0-14yrs) make up 15-20% of farm injury deaths.
The main agents of fatality and serious injury are:
- Drowning in dams (mostly under five year olds)
- Quad Bikes or 4 wheeled motorbikes, and
- Farm vehicles (cars, utes)
- Around 25% of all child deaths were visitors to the farm, but for quad bikes, around 50% are visitors.
- Drowning accounts for around 35-40% on child farm deaths, with farm dams being by far the most common site.
Now in its 19th year, this year’s National Farm Safety Week theme is ‘creating a resilient, safe and healthy ag community’.
National Farm Safety week is an initiative of FarmSafe Australia with the aim of raising awareness and reducing deaths and injuries associated with health and safety risks on farms.
For more information go to http://www.farmsafe.org.au/Farm-Safety-Week
Contact: Charlotte Edmunds – 8531 2466
