With school out, more children and teenagers are expected to help on farms this summer, according to a May 28 report. Many farm families also bring in additional hired help during the season, including teenagers who may not have prior experience with livestock, machinery, or daily farm operations.
The National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety encourages farms to match jobs with a child’s age, experience, and physical ability. The organization says that while adults may be accustomed to certain tasks, these can become dangerous when assigned to youth lacking sufficient skills. “Tasks adults handle every day can quickly become dangerous when youth take on work beyond their skill level,” the report states.
Safety reminders include providing supervision and training tailored to each young worker’s abilities. Recommendations are to assign chores appropriate for age and experience, demonstrate tasks before allowing youth to attempt them alone, encourage questions about unfamiliar situations, and inspect work areas for hazards before starting any job.
The report also highlights the importance of checking equipment for mechanical soundness and ensuring all guards and shields are in place. Youth should wear proper clothing such as non-slip shoes or boots and keep hair tied back around machinery or livestock. The guidance calls for gloves, eye protection, hearing protection or masks where necessary.
Heat precautions are advised due to long hours outdoors; water should be accessible near worksites with regular breaks scheduled throughout the day. Youth should be taught how to recognize symptoms of heat exhaustion or hypothermia. Clean handwashing facilities should be maintained along with instruction on sanitizing personal protective equipment after use.
Certain high-risk tasks—such as working around aggressive animals or operating chainsaws—should remain reserved for older teens or adults only. The report notes that “exceptionally dangerous tasks” like working in manure pits or handling hazardous chemicals must not be assigned to young workers without proper training.
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