“Over the river and through the woods, to grandpa’s farm we go”. Over the holidays, one may have family and friends visiting your farm or acreage. These folks, excited to be out in the country, may not be familiar with the potential hazards of farm life. As the holiday’s approach, now is a good time to do a walk-around with family members to point out situations that you are all too familiar with, but someone new may not realize are hazards.

Develop for yourself a basic farmstead safety checklist. Immediately you’ll think of machinery, power tools, hand tools, ladders, etc., but also include animals -– not just large ones, but also family pets. And how about the wildlife who may be lurking in the barn or machine shed? Remember, new animal ‘babies’ are cute, but mom can be pretty protective.

Edited From: Safety News and Notes, UF/IFAS, Vol 9, No. 8, November 2008

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