Rural Safety

Waimakariri is a predominantly rural or semi-rural district.

Rural safety Two key issues affect farm safety:

  • Entrenched ways of doing things in the well-established sector
  • Inexperienced lifestyle blockholders.

To endeavour to create an improved safety culture in our rural communities we have developed a school-based programme, aimed at teaching children, and in turn their parents, to have a good understanding of how to be safe on the farm or 'Down the Back Paddock'.

Create a parent-kid farm safety contract

Contracts are signed on a regular basis as part of the operations of running a farm. Contracts can extend further than those with contractors, employees and suppliers. Kids who grow up on farms are exposed to risks and hazards and their safety can be in danger. So why not set up a contract with them too?

Creating a farm safety contract with your kids has many benefits. More information is outlined in this useful Canadian website - www.grainews.ca/2016/03/08/create-a-parentkid-farm-safety-contract/.

Create safe play areas for kids

Part of keeping kids safe on the farm is creating a safe area for them to play in, away from the majority of farm activity. Creating and maintaining a safe play area can help greatly reduce the risk to children living on a farm.

Read some tips on locating and developing a safe play area.

Farm animalsPractice safety when tending to animals

Whether you are working alone or getting one of your children or a visitor to help with chores around the farm, you need to educate and protect yourself before allowing others to interact with your animals. 

Read some safety tips on the type of protective equipment that should be worn and how to behave around animals.

For more information contact:

Kerry Miles, Rural Safety Coordinator
Phone: 03 311 8900
Email: kerry.miles@wmk.govt.nz

Other useful links