WHAT’S AT STAKE

Tractors are essential in farm operations. Tractors perform all sorts of tasks that would be otherwise impossible. Tractor safety is for everyone who uses a tractor-operated machinery.

WHAT’S THE DANGER

DANGERS OF TRACTOR OPERATIONS – CAUSES ACCIDENTS

Rearward tractor turnovers

• The tractor is stuck in mud or snow.
• Chains, boards, or other devices can sometimes prevent wheels from turning.
• The tractor is climbing a hill that is too steep.
• The clutch is released too quickly in a low gear with the engine running at a high speed.
• A load is hitched above the drawbar of the tractor.

Sideways tractor rollovers

• when the tractor is driven on a hillside that is too steep
• when the front-end loader is too high for a given load on a hill or when turning
• when the tractor is driven too close to the edge of a roadside ditch or other steep slope

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

TRACTOR OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES

• Start the tractor only from the driving position and not from the ground.
• Do not dismount from a moving tractor.
• Ensure the park brake is on and operating effectively before dismounting.
• Do not park a tractor on a steep slope.
• Remove the starting key when the tractor is not in use.
• Drive at speeds slow enough to retain control in unexpected circumstances.
• Reduce speed before turning or applying brakes.
• Watch out for ditches, embankments, and depressions – crumbling and slippery banks can cause overturns.
• When stuck in soft ground, back out. If unsuccessful, get help.
• Reverse up steep slopes, rather than driving forward (ensure no trailing implements are attached).
• Use as wide a wheel track as possible when working on hillsides and sloping ground. Descend slopes cautiously. Keep the tractor in low gear and allow the motor compression to act as a brake.

MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES

• Service your tractor regularly.
• Check ROPS regularly.
• Do not remove or replace belts while the pulleys are under power.
• Stop the engine before servicing or greasing.
• Keep steps and working platforms free of grease and oil to avoid slips and falls.
• Change wheels on flat surfaces only. Before removing any wheel, check the other wheels. Avoid improvised lifting arrangements. Use a wide-based jack of adequate lifting capacity. When the tractor is jacked up, block it up evenly for additional support.
• Ensure all the air pressure has been released before removing a tyre from the rim. Use correct procedures. Split rims can cause serious injuries. Tires should be inflated in a cage for safety.

MUSCULOSKELETAL PROCEDURES

• Adjust the seat to suit your body. Consider the type of seating when buying your next tractor.
• A tractor with a seat that has vibration absorbing suspension is highly recommended. Prolonged exposure to vibration may cause back damage.
• Wear footwear that provides a firm grip when mounting or dismounting the tractor or operating foot pedals.
• Adjust the tractor seat for back support and comfort.
• When buying a tractor, ensure seating is safe and comfortable.
• Check seat height, seat depth, back rest height and angle, fore and aft movement, seat tilt, firm padding, partial pivoting (if you have to spend long periods looking behind you), and vibration-absorbing suspension.
• Dismount every hour or so and spend 5 or 10 minutes doing something active.
• Plan for your next tractor to include suitably low steps, hand grips, adequate doorway and cab space, and a safe mounting platform.
• Dismount by climbing down – not jumping down – and use each provided foot and hand hold.

TRACTOR TAKEAWAY SUMMARY

• Operators must be trained/experienced enough to do the job.
• Always wear a seatbelt if the tractor has a Roll-Overprotective Structure (ROPS).
• Do not carry passengers on tractors that do not have instructor seats, ROPS, and safety belts.
• Ensure PTO shafts and connections are guarded and keep clear when it is engaged.
• Never jump on or off a moving tractor.

FINAL WORD

Tractors are the main cause of accidental deaths on farms. Over the years, many farmers, farm workers and others living on or visiting farms, have been killed or seriously injured falling from moving tractors, run over by tractors, or crushed when a tractor rolls sideways or backwards.