Youth Safety Tips for Lawn Mowing Jobs

Safe Lawn Mowing for Farm Youth

Mowing the lawn may seem like a simple task, but for young people, it can be dangerous. Each year, nearly 10,000 children and teens in the United States are injured while using lawn mowers. About 5% of these injuries lead to amputation. 

To spread awareness and improve safety, the Childhood Agricultural Safety Network (CASN) is hosting a free lawn mowing safety webinar on May 16 at 11 a.m. Central Time. This event is supported by the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety and Marshfield Clinic Research Institute. 

Key speakers at the webinar include: 

• Dr. Diane Rohlman, a public health professor from the University of Iowa, who researches the risks young workers face in the workplace. 

• Dr. Charles Jennissen, a pediatric emergency doctor focused on rural injury prevention, including lawnmower-related incidents. 

Despite improvements in lawnmower design, the number of injuries among children has not decreased over the past 40 years. Injuries often include cuts, burns, and eye damage. For many kids on farms, mowing is their first experience with machines. 

“Injuries associated with mowers can happen in an instant, so it is important to be safety prepared,” said Andrea Swenson, Ph.D., director of the National Children’s Center. 

This webinar will also launch the 2025 Youth Lawnmower Safety Campaign by CASN. The campaign aims to educate families and young workers about the importance of proper training, supervision, and hazard awareness when mowing lawns. 

To register for the free webinar, visit: 
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/g7S9EQkIQnOCBc2wRoYJig 

CASN, celebrating 25 years, continues to promote the health and safety of youth growing up on farms and ranches.