Many farming activities
require the use of large and powerful
equipment to help with tasks such as
handling large bales, and planting or
harvesting crops.
By their very nature, these machines can
be dangerous to operate;
if used incorrectly, the results
can be tragic.
For instance, if guards are not in place,
or you're not careful
when working around the
Power Take-Off, belt drives,
or augers, your arm or leg
could quickly get caught in the machine,
leading to serious injury, or worse.
All too often, the root cause
of machinery entanglement
is human error – whether it be
people not considering
the various risks they face
and then taking the appropriate
actions to stay safe,
or failing to properly maintain
their equipment.
By understanding how
entanglements happen and
changing how you think about
using machinery, you can help
everyone go home in one piece
night after night.
The Power Take-Off is one of the
most dangerous parts of a tractor
because it is used to transfer
power, at high speeds,
from the tractor to implements
such as balers,
snow blowers, or brush mowers.
On smaller tractors,
the PTO shaft rotates
nine times per second;
on larger tractors, more than
16 times a second.
If, for instance, the drawstrings
on your hoodie get caught in
the PTO, you can be very seriously
injured – or worse.
The most common causes of entanglement
are when someone steps over the PTO,
or leans against the spinning shaft.
Never assume the guard will protect you.
Does your farm use machines with moving
parts, such as augers,
spinning shafts, belts, or exposed gears?
If this equipment is not used correctly,
or if a protective guard
has been removed,
your fingers, your arms or legs,
your clothing, or your hair
could easily get caught,
and you could get pulled
into the machine and become
seriously injured.
Wherever there's a risk of
entanglement, follow three
simple steps to make it safe.
First, STOP. Ask yourself:
What could go wrong?
Could the PTO catch my bootlace?
Could I get caught by
another moving part?
How bad could it be?
Could I get wrapped around,
entangled or even trapped
by the equipment?
Could I lose a limb? Could I lose my life?
Has anything changed? Is a guard broken,
or has it been removed since I
last used this equipment?
Is the clothing I'm wearing today
too loose, or the drawstrings
on my hoodie untied?
Second, take a moment to THINK.
Do I understand the task?
Do I know the correct way to
attach an implement to the PTO?
Have I been trained in how to work
safely around a piece of equipment?
Am I physically and mentally ready
for the job at hand?
Am I tired, stressed, or distracted?
Am I taking any medication
that affects my concentration
or my balance? Do I have the right
tools and equipment?
Am I wearing snug-fitting clothes
and appropriate PPE?
Are all guards and safety shields
securely fastened to the equipment?
And finally, ACT. Make it safe.
Keep your work area tidy
to avoid tripping hazards.
Never step over the PTO. Take the extra
seconds to walk around the tractor.
Use the right tools and equipment.
Immediately replace any damaged parts,
guards or shields and make sure
they are properly locked in place.
Confirm that the rotational speed
of the PTO stub
matches that of the implement.
Reduce risks. Keep children away when
working on equipment.
Make sure the PTO is turned off
when not in use.
Make sure everyone is trained to
recognize entanglement hazards,
and knows how to operate
the equipment safely.
If you have any doubt whether you can
complete the task safely,
STOP. Don't do it.
By understanding the risks of
machinery entanglement,
and taking action to
overcome those risks,
you can help ensure that
Nobody Gets Hurt.
Thanks to Dowler-Karn and Esso for
supporting the production of this video.
To learn more about machinery
entanglement and about
Stop Think Act, visit
wsps.ca/farmsafety.