Hazards, risk and
risk control in Tractor
Operations
The Lecture briefly provides guidelines on the hazards
and risks associated with working with tractors and
practical guidelines on how to implement effective
occupational health and safety (OHS) risk control that
will not only reduce risk, but will assist
farmers/operators to meet OHS regulatory
requirements, and improve productivity.
Health and safety problems associated with tractors
The types of injury range from death, serious injury requiring
hospitalization and down time, to “nuisance” injury that stops
work for a short time, or makes work slower and reduces
productivity.
Hazards associated with using tractors
• Tractor rollover
• Tractor run over
• Tractor power take offs (PTOs)
• Hydraulics
• Ergonomics
• Noise
• Operator skills
Legal obligations of the people in agriculture production
enterprises
OHS legislation outlines the responsibilities of key parties involved
in reducing risk of injury and illness associated with tractor
operations.
Responsibilities of employers include:
- Consultation with workers to implement OHS program
- Provision of a safe working environment
- Organisation of safe systems of work
- Maintenance of work areas, machinery and equipment in a
safe condition
- Ensuring safe use, handling, storage and transport of plant
and hazardous substances
- Consultation with workers to implement OHS program
- Provision of a safe working environment
- Organization of safe systems of work
- Maintenance of work areas, machinery and equipment in a
safe condition
- Ensuring safe use, handling, storage and transport of plant
and hazardous substances
Employees also have responsibilities. Workers must
take reasonable care of the health and safety of
themselves and others, and cooperate with
management in (its) efforts to comply with
occupational health and safety requirements.
Employers and self‐employed persons must ensure
the health and safety of people visiting or working
at their places of work, who are not their
employees, by not exposing them to risk ‐ this
includes contractors.
Manufacturers, designers and suppliers of plant and
substances for use by people at work must make sure
that they are safe and without risks to health when
properly used. They must also supply adequate
information to ensure safe use.
Finding and fixing safety problems associated with using
tractors on farms
Step 1: Consult with workers ‐ there must be a way for workers to actively participate in
the OHS program of the enterprise. Information should be shared with workers, they
should be given the opportunity to express their views and their views should be taken
into consideration prior to decisions being made.
Step 2: Identify hazards ‐ safety hazards must be identified in a systematic way. This
means that farm owners, manager and workers must identify those jobs and situations
on the farm that may cause injury or illness not only to people doing the work, but also
to bystanders.
Step 3: Assess risk ‐ risks associated with safety hazards must be assessed
Risk associated with each hazard must be assessed in terms of the severity of the
potential harm that could occur, and the likelihood that such harm could occur –
generally the risk is greater if workers are frequently exposed to the hazard.
Step 4: Control risk using the hierarchy of control approach ‐ risks must be controlled to
prevent injury. A plan of action must be developed which outlines how the risk of injury
or illness from the hazard will be minimized.
Step 5: Keep a written note of your OHS activity – Record Keeping
Records of all activity in your OHS program must be kept.
hierarchy or order of effectiveness
1. Elimination of the hazard
Where possible, the hazard must be eliminated, or removed from the workplace. This is
obviously the most effective way to reduce risk. While it is often not possible to
eliminate a hazard, OHS regulations require employers to consider this option. If it is not
possible, then the next most effective solution should be sought and put in place.
2. Substitution for a hazard of lesser risk
Where it is not possible to eliminate a hazard altogether, consider whether the hazard
can be substituted for something that will do the same job, but is less hazardous.
hierarchy or order of effectiveness
3. Isolation of hazard from worker and other engineering controls
If the hazard can not be substituted, consider whether it is possible and practicable to
improve the design of work and/or isolate the worker from the hazard. This is the
method of most of the safety improvements that should be put in place in the
workplace to reduce risk of injury as well as to be compliant with OHS regulations.
4. Administrative controls
Administrative controls include safe operating procedures or rules, organizing work in
such a way that reduces risk, giving safety induction and training to workers, supervising
unskilled workers and providing information to workers about the safety risks associated
with work on the farm and how these risks can be minimized.
hierarchy or order of effectiveness
5. Personal protective equipment
Personal protective equipment must be provided and used where workers
cannot be protected from a hazard by a control measure by higher up the
order (1‐4). This includes providing eye and hearing protection to protect
from injury to workers and bystanders in the workplace.
Tractor rollover
Rollovers and backflips are a common cause of tractor
deaths. All drivers and passengers, including children, of
tractors are at risk of being injured or killed in the event
of a rollover or backflip. Older people, 45‐59 years and
60‐75 years, have the highest death rates.
Tractor run over
The risk of tractor run over is always present wherever tractors are
working. Injuries associated with tractor run over are generally severe.
This is due to the weight of the tractor and the nature of associated
implements by which the victim is also frequently run over. Examples
of associated equipment include slashers, rotary hoes, trailers, chisel
and disk ploughs. Deaths from tractor run over are becoming more
common and often results from crush injury to the head and upper
body. Deaths from tractor run over are a special risk for older
operators.
Tractor power take offs (PTOs)
The tractor's power take‐off (PTO) provides the power source for many implements and
equipment used in production farming. Examples include the post‐hole digger, fertilizer
spreader and many others.
The power take‐off is a rotating stub shaft at the rear of the tractor. The power take‐off
and its attachments are a series of high speed shafts that move in a circle 88 mm from the
center of a shaft revolving at 540 RPM at a speed of 5 linear meters per second.
This rotating shaft assembly poses a severe hazard. The rotational force of the shaft is the
source of the hazard. It is present wherever implements are power‐driven by the tractor
power take‐off shaft. There is a risk of entanglement of body parts with the shaft. It usually
occurs when hair, clothes or jewelry become caught in the rotating shaft.
Hydraulics
Working with hydraulics involves the risk of injury from
oil under pressure. Many hand injuries are associated
with oil under pressure and these injuries are difficult to
treat effectively due to the oil penetrating may tissue
layers under the skin.
Body stressing (Ergonomics)
Ergonomics is the relationship of the body to the
work that is being done. It involves changing the
environment to better fit the worker.
Noise
Noise is defined, as sounds people prefer not to hear. Noise is
especially dangerous in the workplace because it interferes with
communication and disrupts concentration. The measurement
of sound or noise is related to pressure, frequency and duration,
and is commonly measure in units called decibels. Any noise
that is 90 decibels or greater can affect your hearing.
Continual exposure to noise at high decibel levels over a
period of time may lead to permanent hearing loss. A
tractor under load may produce noise levels of over 100
decibels. Whereas, the recommended level of exposure
for an 8-hour work period is 90 decibels or lower.
Too much exposure to loud noise can hurt you by resulting in
stress from the constant strain to listen and be heard. This may
cause you to miss important safety instructions.
Prolonged exposure to loud noise can result in hearing loss. Even
if you are exposed to loud noise for a short time, you may
temporarily lose your hearing. Other impacts of loud noise are an
increased heart rate and higher blood pressure; which can
increase a person’s fatigue.
If you do not have a cab that reduces noise significantly, make it
a habit to wear hearing protection in the form of earplugs or
muffs, which are designed to block out harmful noise levels.
Operator skills
As mentioned previously it is a requirement under the OHS
legislation for employers to provide adequate information,
induction, instruction, training and supervision to employees.
People at special risk
The employer, and/ or the person in control of the farm workplace
has a responsibility to provide a safe workplace for all people in
the workplace including workers, contractors and visitors.
Emergency preparedness
All properties must be “emergency ready”. Being well prepared
with emergency plans and equipment will ensure that the damage
to people and property is minimized when accidents happen.
Environments for Operating a Tractor
Tractor overturns in canals, ditches, and washouts are common. The steep slopes
and loose soils in these environments tend to be the cause. Other hazards are
found on public roads: blind corners, narrow bridges, culverts, sharp turns, steep
terrain and slippery surfaces. Inspect the environment in which your tractor will
be used.
Prior to working in a field, check the field for debris, obstacles, ditches and holes
that could cause the tractor to overturn and mark the areas. Adjust operating
procedures to environmental conditions.
Reducing Environments Hazards
HAND SIGNALS
Skills Assessment - Evaluation Sheet
END OF LECTURE
