Designers and manufacturers

Designers and manufacturers
Wheeled agricultural tractors

Designers and manufacturers

Designers and manufacturers of tractors must ensure that:

tractors capable of rollover are designed for or fitted with a rollover protective structure (ROPS)
the safety of a ROPS is dependent upon the frame yielding and absorbing energy to reduce the load transmitted to the mounting bolts and tractor body

The performance of a ROPS under stress can only be determined by conducting a test to the relevant Australian Standard or equivalent overseas standard at a ROPS testing centre.

A manufacturer should ensure that every ROPS approved under AS 1636 or AS 2294 is legibly and permanently marked with the following information:

the name and address of the manufacturer of the ROPS
ROPS identification number
make, model or serial number of the tractor(s) the structure is designed to fit
the relevant Australian Standard or other acceptable standard with which the structure complies.

Wheeled agricultural tractors

Wheeled agricultural tractors have specific requirements under part 16 of the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 2008.

An employer or self-employed person or prospective suppliers must ensure that a wheeled tractor used for business purposes is fitted with a rollover protective structure:

Purchase date	Purchased new/second- hand	ROPS requirement
Prior to 1 July 2003	New	ROPS required to be fitted by 1 July 2007
Prior to 1 July 2003	Second-hand	ROPS required to be fitted by 1 July 2007
Between 1 July 2003 and 1 July 2004	New	ROPS required to be fitted immediately
Between 1 July 2003 and 1 July 2004	Second-hand	ROPS required to be fitted by 1 July 2007
On or after 1 July 2004	New	ROPS required to be fitted immediately
On or after 1 July 2004	Second-hand	ROPS required to be fitted immediately

An employer, self-employed person or persons conducting a business must ensure that a tractor, other than an exempt tractor, is fitted with a roll-over protective structure if the tractor is being hired, leased or borrowed and is used in the business or undertaking.

Prospective suppliers must not supply a tractor (new or second hand) unless a ROPS has been fitted that complies with AS 1636).

	Print-friendly page
	Print full Tractor safety subject (PDF, 155 KB)
	Print full Safe Design and Operation of Tractors Code of Practice (PDF, 328 KB)