Tractor Safety:Information that could save your life

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There are two main reasons for this.

One, tractors have bulk and power which instinctively makes people think that they’re safe. But they’re not.

And, two, a lot of work that you do with a tractor you’re doing by yourself. You’ve got a job to do, you need help with it, but, because you’re on your own, you take risks. Add to this the fact that you work long hours, often seven days a week, which can really take it all out of you. This can be a fatal combination.

Nobody ever thinks they’re going to get hurt. But remember, you can be killed or you can be very seriously injured. And if you can’t work you may well lose your farm. That’s a high price to pay.

So what can you do to be safe around tractors? No two tractors are the same so advice can vary, but we’ve talked to the experts and these are

their tips. The three best pieces of advice are:

Tractors. Very useful. And potentially very dangerous

1. Don’t take anything for granted

For example:

• just because it’s flat, doesn’t mean that you can’t roll over

• just because you’ve managed to lift a load doesn’t mean that the hydraulics can’t fail

• just because you’ve got away with something once doesn’t mean that you’ll get away with it a second time.

2. Remember the 4 x 2 Rule

If you have the slightest doubt about what you’re doing, take 4 steps back and think about it for 2 minutes.

3. Always stay aware

You’ve probably all been there. You’ve done something a thousand times before, so you tend to just operate on auto-pilot. But that’s when things can really go wrong. Just remember – tractors are not very forgiving.

If you work on a farm, you’re

probably going to use a tractor.

They’re one of the most important

tools on the farm. They’re also one

of the more dangerous.

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Basic rules of tractor safety

1. Start the tractor engine ONLY when you’re sitting in the seat; never start it from the ground.

2. Always operate the controls from the tractor seat. If anyone or anything gets caught in the tractor’s moving parts it means that you can shut it down quickly.

3. Try not to stand in front of the tractor, the rear wheel or any trailing implements when the engine’s running.

4. Wear snug fit clothing to avoid it getting caught in moving parts or accidentally activating control levers.

5. Read the manual; the one for the tractor AND for any implements that you’re using.

6. Don’t use a tractor when you’re tired. This is when mistakes happen. Take frequent short breaks if you’re driving a tractor for a long period.

7. Wear ear-muffs if you don’t have a cab. Hearing loss is gradual but when it happensit’s permanent.

8. Carry a mobile phone or two-way radio so you can get help in case something goes wrong.

9. And never allow children under 12 to drive a tractor. It’s against the law. It’s also really stupid. They can ride in the cab if there’s a seat for them, but make sure they wear their seatbelt.

10. Keep your tractor maintenance up to date. Even the small things like cleaning the cab. You get mud and dirt building up on the floor and it gets under the pedals. A brake pedal going down onto two inches of caked dirt is a pedal that has two inches less travel. Not good.

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How not to get run over

Tractors are big, heavy and they have massive torque. The chances of surviving being run over by one are not good.

1. Always walk around the tractor and any implements before you start up. Children love hanging around and you may not see them.

2. Never start the tractor from the ground. Ever. If it’s in gear and you’re in front of the rear wheel you’re going to get run over.

3. Do not disable the safety start systems. It may be a pain in the backside but so’s spending your life in a wheelchair.

4. Don’t leave the driver’s seat without stopping the tractor completely and disengaging the power-take-off. Make sure that it’s in ‘Park’ and that the park brake is on. Make this a habit.

5. Don’t ever get off or onto a tractor when it’s moving, even if it’s just moving slowly. If the steps are dirty or wet, the chances of slipping and falling under the wheel are high.

And you reckon it won’t happen to you?

Mark* did what thousands of tractor drivers do every day: he climbed down off the tractor frontwards instead of dismounting backwards. The problem is that this time he slipped. It was wet and muddy, his feet slipped and he landed on his knees on impacted ground, seriously damaging the ligaments and cartilage in one knee.

He was off work for 20 weeks which meant he couldn’t run his dairy farm. Moving around on his damaged knee, even though it was operated on, caused stress on his good knee, damaging it too. Today he can still only move slowly and can’t carry anything heavier than 7kg.

He ended up being off work for about two years, so he quit dairying and sold off parts of his farm.

* Names have been changed to protect privacy

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How not to roll the tractor

Okay, first of all, a fact. About half of tractor roll-over accidents happen on flat land. Most tractors have a fairly high centre of gravity and when you add something like an elevated load, it doesn’t take much to roll them.

1. Carry loads and implements (front and back) as low as possible.

2. Know what effect a load has on the handling. A rear-mounted load, in particular, will make the steering lighter.

3. Reduce speed on rough ground and on slopes. It’s basic commonsense.

4. Try to avoid sharp turns, particularly when you’ve got a trailing implement.

5. Choose the right gear BEFORE going up or down a slope. When going downhill, too high a gear will give insufficient engine-braking, while a gear that is too low will increase the risk of wheel sliding.

6. Don’t change gear while going uphill. It increases the risk of the tractor flipping backwards. And that is seriously nasty.

How not to get crushed by the hydraulics

Tractor hydraulics are enormously powerful. They can lift and move tonnes easily and, if they fail or become disengaged, drop them just as easily. Always treat them with caution.

1. Hydraulic controls. Only operate them from the driver’s seat. People have been killed or seriously maimed by leaning over the rear while standing close to the hydraulic linkages. Not a good move.

2. Parking. When you’re parking the tractor – even for a short time – lower the front and rear hydraulics to the ground. Make it part of your routine. Kids and animals can be seriously at risk if you don’t do this.

3. Working under raised equipment.

• If you really, really have to work under raised equipment such as a front-end loader, make sure that it has a stable support under it so that it can’t move. It’s just not worth the risk.

• Don’t rely on hydraulics or mechanical locks. Hoses can burst, fittings can fail and children can climb in the cab and fiddle with the controls.

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How not to get mangled by the PTO

Uncovered PTO shafts can cause serious injuries and death. It only takes a loose piece of clothing or a bit of baling twine to get caught up in it and you’ll be dragged in. If your tractor has an uncovered PTO stub shaft it should have a guard or a thread cap fitted. If it doesn’t, get one fitted now.

Using PTO-driven equipment

• ALWAYS turn the engine off while attaching PTO-powered implements.

• ALWAYS have a safety shield on any drive shafts connecting the tractor to the implement.

• Make sure all people are clear before engaging the PTO.

• If there’s a blockage or you need to adjust equipment, ALWAYS turn off the engine and disengage the PTO first.

• If you get out of the tractor seat ALWAYS disengage the PTO and stop the machine completely. If you come in contact with a spinning driveshaft or the blades of an implement, it can kill you.

And you reckon it won’t happen to you?

John* had a new tractor. It had just 11 hours on it but it was starving of fuel and stalling. It was out the back of the property and John knew he had to bring it back in to get the mechanic to have a look at it. So he headed for home, bleeding the tractor’s fuel system every few hundred metres to keep it moving. It was while bleeding it for the sixth time in three kilometres that the accident occurred.

Getting sick of getting in and out of the seat, John over-rode the safety features while standing alongside the tractor. This was very nearly a fatal mistake.

The tractor flew forward pulling his feet under the back wheel while his crotch got caught on the foot-peg.

The tyre stripped his clothes off him.

The foot-peg tore out his left testicle.

Then the tractor plunged over a 20-metre cliff taking the two-way radio with it.

It was 11 hours before the alarm was raised and John was rescued. He was in hospital for two weeks and underwent surgery to put screws in his hip to hold it together. After that he was on crutches for 18 months.

Because of the effect of his injuries John has now left farming.

* Names have been changed to protect privacy

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Driving on the road?

If you’re going to take your tractor onto a public road, then there are some things you need to know. Firstly, you’re on the road and you have to follow the rules of the road. Secondly, being on the road you’re going to be mixing with lots of other vehicles all of which have an equal right to be there. Being bigger and heavier than them doesn’t give you any extra rights.

Try not to drive long distances on the road – instead use a truck to transport your tractor. If you do have to use public roads though, here are some key points:

• Driving with forks: for anything more than a very short journey, it’s best to take the forks off altogether. If you can’t do this, turn them inwards and lift them to a middle position – this way you can still see and they won’t affect the tractor’s centre of gravity. If they are too low, they could get caught on the road surface or hit another car.

• Size and weight: If your tractor is large in size or has a gross weight or more than 4500kg, you may need a heavy licence.

To read all the rules, check out the NZTA guide below for more information.

For ‘A guide for the safe and legal use of

tractors, agricultural trailers and agricultural

machines on New Zealand’s roads’, just visit

www.nzta.govt.nz and search on publications

and then ‘Agricultural vehicles guide 2009’.

www.acc.co.nz0800 844 657

ACC5239 Printed October 2009 ISBN:978-0-478731414-4

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Endorsed by the NZ Agriculture Health and Safety Council