Incorporate Safety into Take Your Child to Work Day
Did you know that National Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day takes place each year on the fourth Thursday of April? During this educational day, children throughout the United States and Canada have an opportunity to explore the workforce and get a glimpse at what their parents and guardians do for a living. While this special event has been around for many years, it may look different in light of the recent Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic with some offices having moved from buildings to a room inside the home or may be a new position with a new employer.
Preparing both your workplace and your child for this endeavor will help ensure that they have a great experience while their safety and health remains a top priority. As parents, always lead by example and role model safety and health practices for your child. Here are a few important considerations when planning, whether your office is in a building, on the farm, on a worksite, or in the home.
If taking your child into an office or workplace outside of the home, start discussions prior to their visit about what the child should expect and be sure to mention any safety protocols. For instance, navigating through the office may require extra security measures such as key cards or fobs. Discuss different scenarios and what to do if they occur, such as getting locked in or out of a room, or what to do if the smoke alarm sounds. Also, discuss any health practices in place by your employer, such as face masks and social distancing.
If your workplace is on the farm, a construction site, or a factory, ensure that your child is aware how busy and active these workplaces may be. Use the same precautions as with any other guests, such as providing children with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), ensuring that they are always supervised and aware of all safety precautions. Do not allow your child to climb and play on or near farm equipment even when it is not in use. Always lock up equipment and machinery when you finish using them and remove the keys, keeping them out of reach of children. For hydraulic equipment that may fall, such as loaders, make sure they are placed in the down position. Lastly, never allow children to be passengers on tractors, skid steers, or other equipment.
If your office resides inside the home, you may be struggling at ways to keep your child involved and actively engaged. Begin by sharing how your job or position may have changed in recent years. In sharing what is different, discuss what you enjoy about these changes, as well as what you miss. Set up a workspace for them like yours and include technology to connect. Encourage your child to prepare questions in advance and hold a special Q&A meeting for them to learn more about your position or company – invite other staff to participate, if possible. Incorporate safety and health by including stretch breaks. Just like children need recess during school, working adults need breaks to recharge and move throughout the workday. Create a home safety plan. Since your office is in the home, this is the perfect time to integrate a safety check. Ensure there are working smoke alarms, locate fire extinguishers, check first aid kits, and create fire escape plans.
The “Safety Day Corner” is a safety message by the Progressive Agriculture Foundation® (PAF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, with the mission to provide education, training, and resources to make farm, ranch, and rural life safer and healthier for all children and their communities. Recognized as the largest rural safety and health education program for children in North America, the Foundation’s Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® program, has reached more than 1.8 million youth – and counting – since the program’s inception in 1995. For more information about PAF and its programs, visit: www.progressiveag.org.