Familiar Surroundings | Around The House & On The Farm
We all know our own homes and workplaces inside out, right? You’ve seen everything that can happen when it comes to these – nothing could take you by surprise. They are the spaces where we spend most of our time after all. On the other hand, these can be places where we are at our most complacent. Dangers, both big and small, can escape our eye when we are looking at them every day. See our advice and be informed of the threats.
Water Safety Around The Home
Children require particular attention
- Children are most at risk because they feel that their house is safe but there are many possible dangers.
- Remember you can drown in very shallow water, in such places as the stream or drain at the end of the garden, the fish or garden pond, the play pool or swimming pool, the well, barrel or water tank, the septic tank or slurry pit.
Know the dangers in the home
- Make sure children are always supervised at bath time.
- Empty baths after use and when full, see that no chairs are nearby onto which children can climb into the bath.
- Keep children away from washing machines.
Water Safety On The Farm
- Ponds on farms are often out of view of the house so an adult should always accompany a younger person when feeding ducks or playing.
- Slurry pits are not solid enough to stand on. Keep well away as you would quickly sink.
- Reeds and grass often obscure the edge of ponds.
- The banks of a pond may be weak and could give way under your weight.
- Holes or drains left exposed after farm building work should be closed.
- Be cautious riding horses near and into water.
- You cannot tell the depth of a hole if it is full of water.
- Do not play near the edge of a riverbank as it might crumble away suddenly.
- Do not retrieve model boats by wading in.
- Keep away from uncovered water barrels.
- Never walk on ice covered waterways.
BE SAFE ON THE FARM
Slurry pits and open waterways can be extremely dangerous – especially with children around the farm..