Safety Procedures at Medway Community Farm

Safety Procedures at Medway Community Farm For Summer Programs

All decisions and actions of farm staff and interns must first consider the safety and wellbeing of program participants.  The farm can be a place for fun and education only if we assure the security of all.  The following lists different potential hazards on the farm, and how staff and interns will prevent potentially dangerous situations.

The Road – No participant will go within 30 feet of the road for any reason.  The closest any participant should be to the road is when they are in the farm stand area.  It is the staff and interns responsibility to make sure all children maintain a safe distance from the road.

The Old Foundation – No participant should ever go past the fence near the foundation, or into the foundation through the lower level.  Staff and interns must make this rule clear to participants on the first day, and enforce the restrictions.

Chicken Brook – No participants should ever go into the river/swamp area that surrounds the farm property on two sides.  It is possible to approach the bank, if a farm staff or intern is leading participants in an educational exploration.

Tractors, trucks, cars, the rototiller, the weedwacker, power tools – All vehicles on site are off limits to all participants.  Only Farm Staff are allowed to sit on, drive and use farm equipment, which includes any tool with a motor.  Participants should be made aware of this rule and it should be strictly enforced.  These motorized tools will be used only if absolutely necessary while participants are on site.  The farm staff will be aware of children and interns when driving on the property, and will never exceed 10 miles per hour.  They will check behind all vehicles before turning on the machines.

Poison Ivy – Participants will be discouraged from entering forested areas on the farm unless they are on a market trail.  All Participants will be shown poison ivy on the first day, and will learn to identify it.  No staff or interns will lead children into areas with poison ivy.

Ticks – All parents of participants will be made aware of the possibility of their children getting ticks while at the farm.  We will encourage participants to wear light clothing that covers their legs and feet and ask all parents to conduct “tick-checks” each evening after their children have been on the farm.

Dehydration – All participants will be asked to bring a water bottle every day.  Staff and Interns will encourage children to drink water while at the farm, particularly during water-breaks, which will happen every half hour.

“Strangers” – We are a community farm, with many people coming and going every day, either to pick up a CSA share, volunteer, or work on their personal garden plot.  The farm manager, farm staff and interns will keep a close watch over who is at the farm while programs are running and will immediately approach any unrecognized visitor and escort them while on the property if a summer program is in session. 

Dangerous Weather – Rain is not considered dangerous, and programs will continue despite rain.  In the case of hail, high winds, thunder, lightning, extreme heat, or other dangerous weather, all participants, staff and interns will make their way to the tool/tractor shed, and parents will be called to come pick up participants.  Programs will be cancelled if The National Weather Service projects 40% or higher chance of dangerous weather within a 2 hour range of program hours. 

Other procedures and rules to be followed:

All participants will wear hard-soled, closed-toe shoes.

No participants will ever go alone anywhere out of sight of staff or interns on the property.

No Intern will ever be alone with a participant.  A rule of threes will always be followed.

All participants are expected to respect interns, staff and the rules.  If, after 3 warnings they do not follow safety rules, or if their violations are deliberate and hazardous (like going into the road) their parents will be called and they will not be welcome back to the farm without parent supervision.

All participants will respect the safety and wellbeing of others at the farm.  No verbal or physical abuse will be tolerated.