TRACTOR SAFETY

The tractor by all means is the workhorse around the farm. The tractor is the one piece of equipment that may get used everyday. With our high dependency on the tractor, safety has to be a priority. Tractor related injuries account for nearly 32 percent of all agricultural related fatalities. This translates into approximately 270 deaths annually. The tractor also accounts for nearly 11,000 nonfatal injuries each year. Three areas of concern that tend to get most of the attention when addressing tractor safety are rollovers, runovers, and highway incidents. Rollovers or overturns account for 54 percent of the tractor related fatalities followed by runovers (24 percent) and highway incidents (13 percent).

Rollover Prevention

Set wheels at widest possible setting for the job.
Lock brake pedals for road travel.
Reduce speed while turning, crossing slopes, and on rough, slick, or muddy terrain.
Watch where you are going; bumps, stumps, holes, etc..
Avoid driving too close to ditches, stream banks, and canals.
Avoid steep slopes if possible.
Keep side mounted equipment on uphill side of slope.
Pull heavy loads at slow speeds.
Hitch towed loads to the drawbar only.
Use weight to increase stability.
Start forward motion slowly and change speed gradually.
Back up steep slopes.

Runovers

Most occur when an operator or extra-rider falls from the tractor (50% of runovers.
DO NOT ALLOW EXTRA RIDERS.
On ROPS tractors, Wear Your Seatbelt.
27 percent of runovers occur to bystanders.
Pay Attention to Your Surroundings.
The other cause of runovers is starting a tractor from the ground.
Start from the Drivers Seat, Not the Ground - No Bypass Starting.

Highway Incidents

Make sure all lights are working properly and the SMV emblem is in good condition. Use lights all the time, not just at night.

Tractor Safety Link (Clemson)
            Avoid Runover Accidents
             Diesels - Know How to Stop Them
            
Tractor Safety Fact Sheet
            Tractor (PDF)

Tractor Safety Display
            Display/Demonstration - "Mr. Good Egg"
            Display - Rollovers & ROPS            

Rollovers & Runovers
            Causes & Prevention (HTML)

ROPS Retrofit Guide for Various Tractor Makes

Highway & Transportation
            Link to information pertaining to Safe Operation of equipment on highways.

This page is maintained by Charles Privette,
Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
ABE Home Page
Page last updated March 01, 2002

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