What are the main risks with tractors
Tractors are used in agriculture, green keeping, gardening, landscaping and a number of other industrial applications. Tractors are quite safe when operated properly but can cause serious injury or death if used incorrectly.
Tractor accidents occur regularly from:
- Rollovers
- Runovers
- Power Take Offs
- Falls from Tractors
- Hitching equipment
- Tractor Operation and
- Towing
Risk Management
All tractors should be designed and manufactured according to the relevant Australian Standard or design criteria as outlined in the Safe Design and Operation of Tractors Code of Practice 2005.
Safety features should be a priority for everyone associated with tractors and information on the safe use of tractors must be provided by:
- Designers when providing designs to another body to manufacture tractors
- Manufacturers when supplying tractors
- Suppliers of new and used tractors and hirers of tractors.
Information should include:
- the tractor's power, output, and load carrying capacity and ability to pull loads
- the tractor's power take-off procedures, implement specifications, manufacturer's instructions for use
- servicing and maintenance of the tractor, correct maintenance scheduling and maintenance of logbooks
Such information should be made available in the operators' manual to employers and operators of tractors.
Section 2, Part C of the Safe Design and Operation of Tractors Code of Practice 2005 outlines safety features which need to be addressed at the design, manufacture and operation stage include:
- roll-over protective structures (ROPS)
- falling object protective structures (FOPS)
- guards
- protection from noise and ultraviolet radiation exposure
- other measures for operator health and safety, for example, seat belts.
For more detailed information on tractor risk management, check section 1 of the Safe Design and Operation of Tractors Code of Practice 2005.
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