Tractor and machinery safety

The tractor is the number one killer on the farm. Tractor rollovers and runovers account for almost half of all farm fatalities; other machinery is responsible for a further one-quarter.

Bystander runovers and extra rider runovers are the most common causes of agricultural fatalities among young children. Bystander runovers occur when children playing on the farm or ranch worksite (usually the yard or drive way) are run over by a tractor, pickup truck or other farm vehicle. The vehicle is generally reversing at the time of the runover.

Extra rider runovers occur when a child falls from a machine they had been riding as a passenger and were subsequently runover. Enforce a strict “no extra riders” rule on tractors and other farm machinery.

Safety training must be completed before children are allowed to operate machinery. A degree of supervision will continue to be needed until teens become experienced operators. Check provincial laws to learn the legal age for operating farm machinery.

Machinery safety: 

• Don’t allow children to play with idle machinery.
• Leave hydraulic equipment (such as front end loaders, 3-point implements, combine heads, etc.) in the “down position”.
• When tractors and self-propelled machines are parked, brakes should be locked and keys removed from the ignition.
• Always leave a tractor pro lever in the “neutral” position.

Tractor and machinery injuries can be prevented by keeping safety in mind at all times. The Canadian Agriculture Injury Surveillance Program offers these tips:

• Equip the tractor with a Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) and a seatbelt – and use them.
• Start forward motion slowly and change speed gradually.
• Enforce the ‘No Extra Riders’ rule on tractors or towed equipment.
• Before starting the machinery, make sure no one is behind, under or in front of the tractor.
• Keep tractors strictly off-limits to young children.
• Properly train and supervise new operators before allowing them to drive.
•  Wear hearing protection
• Never allow anyone to leave the tractor unattended with the engine running

Riding and playing on equipment  

• Always wear a helmet when riding an all terrain vehicle (ATV). 
• Children should not operate machinery until they are completely trained. This includes lawn mowers and ATV’s. Once trained, make sure children always follow safety rules. 
• Make sure the size of the ATV fits the child. Get your child into the habit of wearing long pants, eye protection, gloves and boots when riding an ATV. 
• Children are fascinated with big vehicles. Big vehicles can lead to accidents due to visibility problems. Adults need to take certain precautions if an unsupervised child plays on equipment. 
• Disengage your tractor’s Power Take-Off (PTO) when idle or not in use. 
• Children should be taught where and how to turn off all farm machinery. If a person becomes entangled, a child could save his/her life by turning off the equipment and then getting help. 

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Power-Take-Off safety (PTO)  

PTO involves drawing power from vehicle engines to supply power to other equipment, through the use of a spinning driveshaft. A 540 PTO shaft travels more than two metres in less than a second. Anything caught by that spinning shaft-clothes, shoelaces, hair-will instantly be wrapped up.

PTO entanglement most often occurs when people try to make repairs while equipment is operating. Other victims have been caught while stepping over or onto rotating shafts.

This leads to the cardinal rule of PTO safety – never attempt to repair, adjust, or unplug equipment with the PTO engaged.

PTO safety checklist 

• Always disengage the PTO, shut off the tractor engine, and remove the keys before leaving the tractor seat. Taking the keys prevents unexpected start-up by another person while making repairs or adjusting the machinery.
• Check frequently to make sure that PTO shielding is in good condition (with power disengaged, of course). Damaged shields or bearings should be repaired or replaced before the equipment is operated again.
• Never step across a rotating PTO shaft. Always walk around such machinery. Safety devices are usually reliable, but could malfunction. Take extra care if the ground is muddy or icy.
• Dress for safety. Wear close-fitting clothes and keep long hair covered. Ragged old coats and long bootlaces can easily be grabbed by rotating parts.
• Auger safety (The Canadian Federation of Agriculture)

The auger was a welcomed invention for handling grain, replacing countless hours of toil and backbreaking work. But for all their work-saving attributes, augers have also been the cause of more injuries and deaths to farm workers and children than any other machine for the number of hours used.

From lacerations, amputations, and broken bones to electrocutions – these common injuries associated with the use of augers can be prevented with safer working practices and machinery.

Auger safety tips:  

• Keep children away from operating grain augers
• Protect moving parts- a focus on pinch points, crushes, entanglements, and the importance of guarding. Farmers should check and repair all the guards and shields on their machinery.
• Always leave shields in place – When shields are in place and undamaged, there is much less opportunity to become entangled with moving parts.
• Start grain augers safely- a safe auger has a clutch and starter. Some older grain augers are powered by small gasoline engines that don’t have a clutch or starter and are started by pulling on the vee-belt drive – an extremely unsafe practise. This method is a clear invitation to injury resulting from getting caught in the belt and pulley. Augers with this start-up procedure should be retrofitted with a clutch and starter, either rope or electric.
• Empty the auger before stopping it- A full or partially full auger may be top-heavy and can flip if moved, causing injury to the operator or bystanders and damage to the machine. Except in emergency situations, always let the auger rattle empty before stopping it.
• Be careful when moving augers. Always look up- overhead electric power lines are commonly found at many bin sites. When an auger comes in contact with overhead electrical wires, and the body or the machine being driven completes the circuit to the ground, there is likely to be an electrocution.
• Adjust grain auger height carefully- When the upper supports come to the end of the track or guide, the auger may come down – fast. Fatal injuries have resulted from this type of situation. Never raise an auger beyond its recommended height – use a longer auger if more height is needed.
• Don’t try to grab the crank-  If the height-adjustment crank should get out of your grasp while adjusting the auger, do not attempt to stop it or grab for it – let it go. Many broken arms and wrists have resulted from attempts to grab a spinning crank.
• Set up carefully and block the wheels- A grain auger can roll or move as it is running and fills with grain. Always secure grain augers in place by placing blocks in front of and behind the wheels to prevent it from moving. Anchor the bottom end of the auger to the ground, too. The auger must be placed on level ground and completely stable if it is to be safe.

Other precautions: Be sure to wear close fitting clothing when working near a grain auger. Loose, floppy clothing and long bootlaces will easily become entangled in rotating parts. Entangled clothing will pull the body into the moving machinery and severe injury will result.

Limit the number of people around the auger when in use. Only those who are essential to the job should be there – no visitors or bystanders

Always stop the machinery when debris (straw, chaff, etc.) begins to be a problem. Never use your hands or feet to remove debris from moving machinery.

Back to farm safety tips.