Top Tips for Farm Tractor Safety
While the tractor is a prominent piece of equipment for any successful farm, it can also be one of the most dangerous. Most of these accidents are a result of poor safety measures. The most common of these include rollovers, being run over, road accidents, not checking your blind spots and entanglements. It is easy to get wrapped up in the job and bypass important safety measures, so learning to have a “safety first” mindset while operating your tractor will help keep yourself and others safe. Below, we explore the five most common farm tractor accidents and how to prevent them.
What can I do to avoid a rollover?
For every tractor that you operate, you should be certain that it has a ROPS (Rollover Protective Structure) and is equipped with a good working seatbelt. Just as you would in a vehicle, always wear your seatbelt. When you are tackling a steep slope, go up the hill in reverse as opposed to driving up it. Always be aware of your surroundings and check for any irregular ground or objects in your way. Avoid any wet or muddy fields and make sure to always drive slowly.
How do I avoid run overs?
Be sure that you turn your engine off every time you exit the driver’s seat. Never allow extra riders to join you. It is both distracting and unsafe.
How can I stay safe with my tractor on the road?
A tractor should never be operated on the highway without visible flashing lights and a clean, reflective slow-moving vehicle sign placed on the rear of not only your tractor, but any piece of machinery, even if it is being towed. Always be alert for any traffic around you and be sure to stay as far to the right side of the road as is logical.
How can I avoid blind spots?
It is never safe to allow children to play/hide on or around a tractor or other piece of machinery. Whenever getting onto a tractor, make sure you do a full walk around to be to make sure no one is in the tractor’s path.
What can I do to avoid entanglements?
Each time you operate your tractor, be certain that the PTO (Power Take Off) shield is in place or it should be replaced. Walk around your PTO, NEVER over it. Make sure when operating a tractor that you are wearing tight-fitted clothing and that you don’t allow any long hair around machinery with moving parts.
Accidents can occur anywhere, even when staff are doing their best to maintain safety standards. If there's been an incident on your farm that has caused a your tractor to break down or need service, you can always rely on the team at Koenig Eqipment. Connect with our service team and they'll we'll work to limit the amount of downtime that your farm has to suffer.