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Make water, machinery and animals safe for children

Farms and off-grid estates contain hazards that do not exist in town: open water, tanks, wells, machinery and large animals. Drowning is a leading cause of death for young children worldwide.

How

1. Know the risk: WHO reports that drowning is the fourth leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 4 and the third for ages 5 to 14.
2. Cover wells, tanks and cisterns with secure, lockable lids that a child cannot lift, as WHO recommends covering wells.
3. Fence ponds, dams and pools with barriers and self-closing gates, and use doorway barriers or playpens for toddlers.
4. Teach school-age children basic swimming and safe rescue skills, as WHO advises, and supervise younger children near water at all times.
5. Keep children well away from running machinery, chainsaws, tractors and mowers. Remove keys and store tools locked.
6. Lock chemicals, fuel and medicines out of reach.
7. Teach children to stay out of animal pens unless an adult is with them, especially near large animals, males and mothers with young.

Safety: A child can drown in a few centimetres of water in seconds. Barriers do not replace supervision.

Do these first

• water-1
• animals-1

Sources

1. Drowning Fact Sheet. World Health Organization, accessed 2026-11

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