WV Farm Bureau Magazine August 2016 | Page 15

WVU Update Published as a Special Insert for Farm Bureau News Summer 2016 Practicing tractor safety prevents accidents R ollovers, runovers, entanglements and highway collisions involving agricultural tractors kill approximately 250 people a year, making it the leading cause of death and serious injury in the agriculture industry. While rollovers consistently account for more than half this total, falls involving both tractor operators and riders are another major type of tractor accident. By the numbers Rollover protective structure Most tractor accidents occur to people ages 25 to 64; however, operators under age 15 and over age 64 have seven to ten times more accidents per hour of machine use than operators in the 25 to 64 age group. More than 85 percent of all tractor accidents involve members of the farm family. Of the leading sources of fatal injuries to youth on farms, 23 percent involved machinery (including tractors) and 19 percent involved motor vehicles (including ATVs). Few tractor operators, family or otherwise, have had proper training for tractor operation. The use of rollover protective structures (ROPS) and a seat belt is estimated to be 99 percent effective in preventing Cabs More and more farmers are recognizing the safety, comfort and utility of a cab. A cab built around a crush-resistant protective frame will give protection from overturns, dust, weather and will reduce fatigue. It should also be designed to keep noise at a safe level. the operator when a rollover occurs. When used with a seat belt, the ROPS will prevent the operator from being thrown from the protective zone and crushed from an overturning tractor. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health estimates that there are approximately 4.7 million tractors in use on United States farms; unfortunately, one-half of them are without rollover protection for the operator. Tips • Be sure that each person who operates a tractor is trained, physically fit and qualified to do the job. • Don’t allow extra riders and don’t ask to be an extra rider. Tractors are designed only for the drivers, so make this a firm rule. ROPS are roll bars or roll cages designed for protection. death or serious injury in the event of a tractor rollover. ROPS are roll bars or roll cages designed for wheel- and track-type agricultural tractors. The ROPS create a protective zone around • Keep power take-off (PTO) shields and guards in place. An unshielded or partially shielded shaft can catch clothing and wrap a person around it in a fraction of a second. Even though only a small part of the shaft or knuckle is exposed, a PTO can maim, cripple and cause death. – continued on page iii – Insert provided by WVU Extension Service and Davis College of Ag., Natural Resources, and Design Summer 2016 West Virginia Farm Bureau News 15