Farm Safe Schools – Scoil Mhuire Moynalty 4^th & 5^th Class

We were delighted when Ms Clarke told us that Ms Ormiston had registered us for the Farm Safe Schools Initiative!! With so many in the class with a farming background, it was very important for us to check and see that we were following all the safety rules that are in place on farms.

Module 1

Topic 1 The Farm Visit checklist.

When Ms Clarke asked us to tell her how we could keep safe on a farm, we were able to tell her the most common safety rules to follow. We did not realise that there was so much more that we should be doing. Ms Clarke then spoke to us about what “we need to know, before we go”.  We learned all about how important it is to wear the correct safety footwear and clothes especially hi visibility clothing as there is a lot of machinery moving around the farm. The first thing that we can admit to being surprised at was not to go on a farm alone. Many of the children admitted that they sometimes wander around the farm alone. We have now pledged that we will try not to do this in future, and we are now aware of the dangers of doing so.

Topic 2 Knowing about the safety signs.

Ms Clarke then spoke about the different zones on the farm. We wrote the different zones up on the board and we were able to come up with a lot of the possible dangers that were in each zone.  We used our farm safety signs to signal which one we thought was appropriate for each zone. We took a vote to see which zone we thought was the most dangerous. This led to a great debate in the class!! Many felt the slurry pit zone was the most dangerous. Others said that it was the chemical zone. We all agreed in the end that each zone was just as dangerous as each other because they could all cause harm to us!

We learned all about the safety signs that are needed to be displayed on a farm.  We now know that the colour of each sign is important for alerting us to danger. We learned that:

·         Red means prohibition – you are not allowed

·         Blue means mandatory – you must or have to

·         Yellow means caution/warning – beware!

·         Green means safe – safety area

Topic 3 Slurry Safety and Electricity Safety

We had a discussion on the dangers of Slurry pits in class and were ably led by Farmer B Gilsenan, Farmer Lynch, Farmer Cassidy and Farmer E Gilsenan ! They told us how important it is to keep the slurry pit fenced in or covered appropriately. They told us how there is a danger of falling into the slurry tank and how quickly you could be dragged under and potentially drown. They also told the class about the dangers of the fumes that can come out of the pit and how it is not only a danger to humans but also to animals too. Never play near a slurry pit was their sound advice. We also voted that there was a definite need of a yellow warning sign near the slurry pit. Thank you to the for boys for sharing their knowledge.

             

 

We also looked at Electrical safety.  We discussed the importance of electric fences to the farmer in his or her everyday life. We also talked about how easy it could be to hit an electric wire with all the big and tall machinery that the farmer uses on his farm. We promised Ms Clarke never to touch a fallen down electric wire and to alert an adult to the danger.

 

We really enjoyed the webinar with Alma Jordan on April 28^th. It was so interesting to learn all about Alma’s experiences.

 

 

 

Module 1 - Seomra 4

 

Module 1

The boys and girls in Seomra 4 were delighted to take part in the Farm Safe Schools programme. Many of the children in our class live on or near farms so it is vitally important that they know how to keep themselves safe and prevent avoidable accidents on the farm. There was great excitement when we announced that we would be participating in the programme. The pupils have completed a blog post containing lots of information. Read on to find out all about what we learned! 

So, during the last couple of weeks we as a school have been learning about farm safety. We have learned a lot and it has really opened our eyes to a lot of the dangers that we never even considered on the farm.

We learned about farm zones and the hazards of working on the farm. We also learned how to recognise the various warning signs found on a farm and about the dangers of working at heights. 

Topic 1 - Farm Visit Checklist

We talked about the clothing and footwear we should and should not wear on the farm. We decided that a hi-vi jacket, a coat, a hat and wellies were all essential for a farm visit. We discussed the importance of having an adult with you when visiting a farm and always staying in the safe zone on the farm.

Topic 2 - Know the Safety Signs

We learned about the different safety signs displayed on farms. 

- Red for prohibition (do not enter)

-Yellow for caution (enter carefully)

- Blue for mandatory actions (you MUST wear/do something)

We discussed each sign, when we had seen them before and what they meant. We completed some worksheets and activities matching the signs to their meanings. 

We also took part in a webinar presented by Alma Jordan.

Topic 3 - Working at Heights

We talked about working at heights and the dangers associated with this. We discussed how to avoid trips and falls. We completed the online spot the dangers activity where we had to identify the dangerous activities in the pictures, we then talked about how they could make it less dangerous. 

     The farm safe schools programme is really interesting and we are really enjoying it. We are looking forward to our next module and webinar. 

by Paige and Emma 6th Class 

Module 2 - Seomra 4

 

Seomra 4 have completed Module Two ‘Animals’ of the Farm Safe Schools programme. This module enabled the children to learn how to recognise the different signs and physical behaviours used by animals. Understand instinctive and learned behaviours. Staying safe while working with animals, particularly those giving birth and understanding animal welfare.

Topic 1 - The Bull

We learned a lot about the bull. The bull is a big male cow. When they're young you give them a nose ring to lead them around. Bulls are unpredictable and dangerous and we should be very cautious when a bull is nearby. Bulls are never put in the same field as the baby calves or another bull. 

We learned about the warning signs if a bull is going to charge. 

- They will stop grazing & watch you (stare you down) 

- Bellow – make a grunting sound 

- Start pawing the ground with their hoof 

- Shake their head from side to side

We now know that we should never turn our back on a bull and we should always have an exit plan from a field. 

We know that you should always treat a bull with caution, regardless of how long you know the animal. 

Topic 2 - Cows and Calves 

Cows can be male and female, a calf is the proper name for a baby cow. You can put any amount of cows in a field as long as they all fit and that's called a herd. Cows can be dangerous so you should be careful around cow especially when they are freshly calved. If you are going to feed or help a new born calf you should put the calf in a crush first. Never approach a cow from behind. 

Topic 3 - Knowing the Warning Signs

When bulls are ready to charge they scrape the ground and grunt. Cows show the same signs as bulls like scraping the ground, grunting and pacing. Bulls may have big horns and when they charge they could cause serious damage. We took part in a webinar which told us about the different signs and behaviours the animals show when they are relaxed or agitated. 

We acted out the different behaviours in drama and this was great fun. We watched a video of a bull showing signs of attack and it was quite scary. We created farm safety signs. 

By Aleisha and Ethel 5th class 

Module 3 - Seomra 4

 

Module 3

The pupils in Seomra 4 have completed the final module of the Farm Safe Schools programme, 'tractors and machinery'. We really enjoyed this module and looking at all of the various machines and tractors. We learned important tips about how farmers stay safe when working on the farm and using farm machinery. 

Topic 1 Stay Safe with Machinery & Vehicles

We brainstormed seasonal farm activities and wrote them on the board. We noticed that during Spring and Summer, farmers are at their busiest, but there is always something to be done on the farm, no matter what time of year it is! 

We named the various machines and the jobs they do on the farm. Our class mates told us which machines they have seen in action and what machines they have on their farms. 

 We learned that farm equipment is involved in more than one in three farm-related deaths. These machines are also involved in many accidents which result in life-changing injuries such as the loss of a limb. Modern tractors, telehandlers and other equipment have given farmers the ability to work more quickly and efficiently. But this machinery brings new dangers. 

Here are a few tips to stay safe around farm machinery

- Lock unattended vehicles

- Leave vehicles in neutral and with the handbrake on.

-Remove keys and keep them away from children.

Topic 2 & 3 - Tractor Safety & Tractor Safety Checklist

Tractors have become much bigger and more powerful over the years. Farmers have a responsibility to keep their machines in good running order to ensure the safety of themselves and other farm visitors. 

We acted out how a farmer should act when starting a tractor and discussed the dangers of not carrying out these checks.

Here are a few safety tips

Keep tractors clear of hazards: Always keep floors, doors, pedals clear and keep your boots clean. Do not keep items like tools, draw bar pins, or ropes on the cab floor as these cause easy distraction when driving and can cause accidents.

Always make sure to keep steps up to your tractor clean as they can cause you to slip or fall. 

Blind spots : When driving ensure that there is nobody near you before starting the engine, always watch out for people, obstacles and blind spots. Take time to clean windows and mirrors for visibility and always check that the brakes are locked together.

We watched the webinar with Alma Jordan and she even said hello to our class! 

We have really enjoyed taking part in the farm safe schools programme and have learned so much from it. We are more cautious when we are on a farm or are around animals or machinery. We have been passing on our knowledge to our parents and grandparents to help keep them safe on their farms! 

 Keep tractors clear of hazards: Always keep floors, doors, pedals clear and keep your boots clean. Do not keep items like tools, draw bar pins, or ropes on the cab floor as these cause easy distraction when driving and can cause accidents.

Always make sure to keep steps up to your tractor clean as they can cause you to slip or fall.

 

Blind spots : When driving ensure that there is nobody near you before starting the engine, always watch out for people, obstacles and blind spots.  Take time to clean windows and mirrors for visibility and always check that the brakes are locked together.

By Eoin and Jack 6th Class

Farm Safe Schools Module 3

         

Module 3

After completing modules 1 and 2, we moved on to our final module; tractor and machinery safety. We leaned 15 types of farm machinery and played a game of bingo to celebrate all that we had learned!

 

Here we are watching our webinar!

Farm Safe Schools Module 2

Module 2

Having happy finished module 1 all about farmer, farm & field safety, we were very excited to learn all about animal safety.

In this module, we learned how to read animal behaviours so that we could stay safe around farm animals. We learned how to recognise how bulls, cows, horses, cats and dogs were feeling. We had so much fun making our animal masks and even got to go on a visit to Father Joe's farm! It was a fantastic day!

Here are our great masks!

 

 

 

We were very lucky Father Joe invited us down to see his farm. 

Here we are on the walk down being careful on the road.

We met Megan the cow.

Father Joe showed us some cow horns.

We met some lovely birds!

 

 

Farm Safe Schools Module 1

 

Module 1

Junior and senior infants have been having a fantastic time learning all about farm safety!

Our first module was all about farmer, farm and field safety. We learned all about the signs we see on the farm. We know what the colours on signs mean and can even find some around the school!

Here we are doing some of our signs!

Green means go!

Red means no!

Blue means 'You have to!'

Yellow means 'Be careful!'

We even have our own signs in the school!

We had great fun filling in the worksheets!