Another accident

[blackpowder]

Half of us remember steel dashes and sleeping on the back ledge. 13 pulling a surflex etc. Our fathers grew up walking behind horses hooves. Then it was "hard luck" today un/acceptable risk.
Have we forgotten that accidents while often preventable, still happen? Chaos theory with tragic results. Industry learns from them, families grieve by them.
Can we acknowledge the definition of accident, and accept that they will always happen? To do otherwise tortures the family.

[TOM4CWB]

Blackpowder,

AMEN. I went through these things with the head of OH and S kind of like talking to a pile of field stone. Sorry Stones.

Hope Harvest gears up so we can finish. Hope Sunday rain lets us go again soon!

[nicolaas]

I let my kids help out, and run equipment. I also do not let them do too much work, and they are supervised until they can handle it on their own. Be safe around equipment, and lead by example. There should be a culture of safety on your farm, and explain what could go wrong and why to stay away from certain things. I am more worried about my 16 year old driving and being in a car accident. (lots of drunks and "texting while driving" people around). Remember, a farm is not a playground, it is a business. I think a farm kid will have a better grasp on reality, better work ethic than most of their peers in the city, and part of that reason is they can do work, play hard, take some risk, are not bubble wrapped. I sympathize with the poor family who lost their kids, and do not second guess their decisions.

[nicolaas]

Maybe all the people with hoppers should take the kids up there, and throw in a weighted plastic bag and have them watch it get sucked down and out the bottom. Let them see for themselves what will happen to them. No need to scare them, inform them.

[agstar77]

In the year 2015 no child should die in a normal farming situation. My condolences to their family. No child should be around farm operations without supervision. There should not be a place for child labour in todays farming operation. Training and informational situations are acceptable with the right safeguards. It is bad enough that most of us take chances with our own lives in operating equipment .

[TOM4CWB]

I agree Agstar77;

No Child should die in town either. No Child should die because a drunk or stoned driver hits them... from suicide...War in Syria... Ukraine...and on and on...[I am told to shut up]

Laws do not prevent these deaths... they just prove we are all law breakers. And that the law cannot save anyone...

All the best.

[agstar77]

Perhaps safety training course for farm kids put on by ourcheckoff dollars to organizations like KAP.

[tweety]

I agree Agstar, and its maybe the farmers that need the training about the risks they are putting kids thru.

Such a balancing act between kids getting great work experience and happy rewarding times..... And putting them in direct dangerous work environments where they easily can die.

Tom, laws don't prevent, but they can dramatically reduce lost lives.

[hobbyfrmr]

Agreed, a safety awareness training workshop would be helpful and I would attend. Ironically there probably is one and I have ignored it. I recall an annual brochure in the mail I would peruse lightly but I have young children now.

[TOM4CWB]

I was involved in 'Ag in the classroom' for many years.

How much farm safety was involved? 0.

We don't want to cast a dark light on the farm, yet risk is everywhere... as it is in many other occupations... but the farm is supposed to be the root of life... not the cause of pain and death.

[Francksaskfarmer]

This accident is so horible. I am so saddened by it my heart aches. My wife and I look at our 4 kids age 5-11 and we try to show them the dangers to prevent this. I grew up like most of you enjoying playing the farm life, understanding the nobility of feeding the world, being given responsibility at a youg age has given values a lot of us would say are irreplaceable. Many of our fondest memories come from moments made working and enjoying farm life and you can ask city dwellers who have spent any time on farm and their best memories come from the farm too.
There are risks in everything, how many kids have been injured or died on roller coasters? Ski hills? Swimming pools? Do we ban all kids from these because of the risk?
Or do we look at the rewards and deem the risk acceptable?
you can ask: what if it was my family who lost three daughters, and yes that is something I have grappled with and I could never "understand" untill it happened to me.
But come on people this society is bubble warped enough the way it is. Let us make our farms safer for kids in memory of all who have passed on in tragic farm accident, but banning kids from farm activities is not the answer and will bring litle benefits to them who live on.

[sumdumguy]

The saying, "being at the wrong place at the wrong time" is brandished on my brain when it comes to accidents, all accidents. We all take risks with our kids and grandkids when we buy them dirt bikes, ski-doos, horse riding, enroll them in hockey, scuba diving, but you gotta live life and hope and pray that we can somehow never experience the excruciating pain of losing a child. Deepest regrets to this beautiful family.