Here, a safety expert demonstrates that hazardous substances can be found in harmless-looking doses. On farms, they can be found often enough. © J.Dziemballa
Many dangers can lurk on a farm, especially for children. A child safety day in Ottersberg provided vivid information.
Ottersberg/Landkreis – Being able to grow up on a farm – that's something special. That's probably what most of those who actually grew up on a farm say. But such a farm also harbors dangers in every nook and cranny. Even those that are not necessarily always immediately recognizable to children. In order to take preventive action right here, the Bavarian Farmers' Association (BBV) in the Ebersberg district association, together with the Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture, has recently organized a child safety day for the first time ever in the district. Host: the Röckenschuß family in Ottersberg (municipality of Pliening).
Boys and girls between the ages of six and twelve who live with and with their parents on a local farm are invited. But also their specialists, who like to come to visit - for example, to play together. Non-company children, as they say. And which, according to BBV district chairman Matthias Vodermeier from Neufarn, are particularly at risk. After all, they are often much less familiar with the real danger spots on a farm.
Experts show 70 young people where it can be dangerous
The aim of the day is to show the children these numerous, potential sources of danger and to train them in safety-oriented and health-conscious behaviour. For example, by the safety consultant of the employers' liability insurance association, who demonstrates not only theoretically, but also in practice, what toxic slurry gases, for example, can do. A field of expertise of Peter, who introduces himself to the boys and girls only by his first name and does not dwell long on theory. He has set up a whole range of containers as illustrative material: sprays, milking machine cleaners, stains, paints, brake cleaners, petrol, special fuels. The fact that these things are not to be trifled with is something that the young listeners already know surprisingly well. But an experiment is astonishing: Styrofoam, for example, is immersed in a glass of fuel. It takes less than half a minute for the plastic to dissolve completely. Peter's message is clear: "Stay away from canisters".
A good 40 adults take care of the optimal process
Especially when it comes to hazardous substances that, as in one case also demonstrated, were filled into a soda bottle from a well-known manufacturer in the region. "An absolute taboo," warns the expert. Whereby his unspoken criticism here is actually directed at the adults who decant such things.
Much of what seems harmless at first in one of the containers, however, is literally extremely dangerous. Even commercially available hairspray produces an impressive jet flame.
Keyword fire: Flour or wood dust is another source of danger that is hardly visible to children's eyes. A spark could be enough to ignite a fire, which then only the fire brigade can fight, they say.
Speaking of the fire brigade: The Plieninger are there with a small troop and use models to show the children what happens when there is a fire in a house (here the size of a doll's house). And what you can do as a child if there is actually a fire on the farm.
The Blind Spot: A Special Trap
No less impressive is a demonstration that simulates a situation in the forest. In any case, a falling branch generates so much power that it easily punches through a melon. This is something that seems to particularly captivate the children.
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The blind spot is another issue. Because this phenomenon has often been the cause of sometimes tragic accidents on German farms. The safety experts show the children how to properly approach a bulldog in which, for example, the father is sitting. At the same time, the effect of a newly developed reversing camera will be demonstrated, which is configured in such a way that it registers people and emits appropriate warning signals, but remains silent in the case of animals. This automatic person recognition is of great help in daily professional practice, they say.
The Red Cross is also involved in this safety day. Karl-Heinz Brandl, BRK veteran from Markt Schwaben and actually already a pensioner, makes himself available with BRK comrades to explain the inner workings of an ambulance (RTW) to the young citizens of the district. For example, the children get a vacuum bed explained and what it is good for. Or a suction pump designed to eliminate vomit. Anyone who has seen such things before and possibly got to know them a little may have less or no fear later in life, in a concrete emergency, is the ulterior motive of the helping forces. The Red Cross members also offer "Trau-dich-Erste Hilfe". In other words, only those who do not help will make mistakes in any case.
On this Whitsun holiday, a good 40 adults will make sure that the approximately 70 participants take away as much as possible in terms of new insights.
On another corner of the Röckenschuß-Hof, the agricultural health insurance company has set up two slackline tracks. A taut ribbon on which to balance. Meanwhile, the local farmers take care of the food for the young people and the adult helpers. The effort that is put into this is not small, says Christian Satzl, who is responsible for prevention at the SVLFG social insurance system. Twice a year it is possible to organize events like this. "However, it is still unclear when there will be another date of this kind in the Ebersberg district," says Satzl.
You can read even more news from the Ebersberg region here. By the way: Everything from the region can also be found in our regular Ebersberg newsletter