A MAJOR Cumbria rural insurance broker has urged people not to neglect farm safety with children likely to be at home for an extended period and attentions directed towards coronavirus.

Paul Graham, managing director of H&H Insurance Brokers, based at Carlisle, said: “For most, keeping safe under self-isolation presents one set of challenges, however when your home is a farm, these are somewhat different.

“Farms are one of the most dangerous places to work but, if you add children, the risks increase significantly due to their inquisitive nature and their ability to find danger.

“With children home permanently for the foreseeable future, if there was ever a time to reflect on health and safety on your farm, it’s now.”

H&H has provided the following advice on keeping children safe, split up into different danger areas:

-Machinery: Keep vehicle keys out of reach and front-end loaders lowered to the ground. Ensure children stay away from vehicles when they are being used.

-Animals: Keep children away from any field or pen occupied by potentially dangerous animals.

-Electricity: Create boundaries to any areas where electricity could cause harm.

-Substances: Keep any hazardous liquids or materials locked away at all times.

-Other hazards: Lock doors or create physical boundaries to potentially dangerous areas such as slurry pits, haystacks and reservoirs. Keep items such as ladders locked away.

-Coronavirus: Educate children on good hygiene practices such as stringent handwashing and ensure they understand the 2m distance rule.

A spokesman for H&H added: “Where a farm is also a home, it is easy to become blind to risks that you see every day.

“With this in mind, we recommend conducting a simple risk assessment on your farm to identify any risks and implement a plan to make it safer.

“These changes could mean the difference between life and death.”