A backyard can be a world of fun as well as a safety hazard for your toddler or young child. If you plan to use garden equipment such as lawn mowers or tractors this weekend, keep these safety tips in mind to prevent injury to your child. (Learn more: Childproofing your deck, porch, or yard.)

Doors should be locked. Doors leading outside should have a latch installed high up, out of a child's reach. Firmly lock sliding patio doors, and secure them with a bar in the track.

Keep the kids away. Keep your tot indoors whenever you use a lawn mower, string trimmer, power mower, hedge trimmer, or other outdoor equipment (including snow blowers in the winter months). It's too dangerous for your toddler to be your little helper.

Fuel up in open air. Pour fuel into your equipment while outdoors, not in a garage, where fumes could become a hazard, or ignite.

Related:

• Hedge trimmer safety tips
• Protect your hearing around lawn equipment