ABSTRACT

Youths – defined as children under the age of 18 – are frequently involved in agricultural work. Parental assignment, briefing, and supervision of hazardous farm tasks have an influence on youth safety, yet many youths are injured or killed performing these tasks. This research utilized a qualitative approach to analyze why youths choose to make hazardous decisions regarding grain bin entry and factors that played a role in youths’ decisions. Because we know that youth are working on the farm, the study’s objective was to examine the parent-youth relationship to determine the conditions under which youth would follow or refuse their parents’ orders. Ten students who attended a Midwestern land-grant institution were interviewed. Interviewees had experience working inside grain bins, were highly involved in their family farming operations while under 18 years old, and worked under frequent parental supervision. Interviewees shared conditions where they followed their parents’ orders even when they knew the task was unsafe. Moreover, participants indicated when they would refuse orders from parents. Findings showed that the primary source of agricultural safety knowledge came from the interviewees’ parents. Interviewees did not necessarily demonstrate a “blind trust” in their parents, as they were not willing to follow all orders they were asked to complete. However, all interviewees indicated that their parents would not ask them to do anything unsafe. Many barriers to farm safety were emphasized by the interviewees, which may contribute to youths choosing to make hazardous decisions regarding grain bin entry under some conditions. The research implications are emphasized relative to youth safety outcomes on family farms.

摘要

青少年（定义为 18 岁以下的儿童）经常参与农业工作。家长对危险农场任务的分配、简报和监督对青少年的安全有影响，但许多青少年在执行这些任务时受伤或死亡。这项研究采用定性方法来分析为什么青少年选择做出有关进入粮仓的危险决定以及在青少年决策中发挥作用的因素。因为我们知道青少年在农场工作，所以该研究的目的是检查父母与青少年的关系，以确定青少年在什么情况下会听从或拒绝父母的命令。就读于中西部赠地机构的十名学生接受了采访。受访者有在粮仓里工作的经历，在18岁以下时高度参与家庭农业经营，并经常在父母的监督下工作。受访者透露，即使他们知道这项任务不安全，他们也会遵守父母的命令。此外，参与者表示他们何时会拒绝父母的命令。调查结果显示，农业安全知识的主要来源来自受访者的家长。受访者不一定表现出对父母的“盲目信任”，因为他们不愿意遵守要求他们完成的所有命令。不过，所有受访者均表示，父母不会要求他们做任何不安全的事情。受访者强调了农场安全的许多障碍，这可能会导致年轻人在某些情况下选择对进入粮仓做出危险的决定。强调了与家庭农场青年安全结果相关的研究意义。