Hello and welcome! Workplace Safety & Prevention Services
is a health and safety association dedicated to promoting awareness
and preventing fatalities, injuries and illnesses
in Ontario, primarily in the agriculture industrial
and service sectors. We would like to acknowledge Dowler-Karn and Esso
for their support in the development of this presentation,
and their commitment to helping us reach more communities
with this simple safety message. And thank you for
joining us today for this introductory session on tractor safety.
Did you know tractor incidents resulting in injuries
and fatalities are one of the biggest
risks on farms? These incidents can impact you,
your family, and your workers. In fact,
safety incidents involving tractors are an issue of tragic proportions.
There have been 642 fatalities in the Ontario agriculture industry
between 1990 and 2012. Over this 22-year period,
that's a tremendous loss of people – people just like you and me who have
lost their lives doing the work they loved. Of these
642 fatalities, 70 percent of them – a total of 451 deaths – were
related to agricultural machines. And of those 451 fatalities,
61 of them – that's 277 deaths – involved tractors.
You can see why it's so important to look at ways to prevent
injuries from working with tractors. Perhaps even more heartbreaking,
77 young people (those 14 and under) died on farms during this
same 22-year period. And of those, one-third were
related to tractors. Over half of the children who died from
being run over by a tractor were simply bystanders; likely
kids playing in the yard, or out in the field. All of
those deaths could have been prevented. Your tractor is a crucial piece of
equipment on your farm, but if not used with caution,
it can be extremely dangerous. This presentation is about empowering
you with a simple yet powerful safety tool that can help
prevent tractor and other incidents from happening on your farm.
This tool is called Stop Think Act. The great thing about the
Stop Think Act approach is that it focuses on your own behaviour.
It doesn't involve a long list of rules you need to memorize,
and it very quickly becomes second nature.
With Stop Think Act, all you need to do is ask yourself a
few straightforward questions in the moments before you begin
any task. This will help you identify dangers you may face,
and help you come up with the ways to avoid these dangers.
Just a few simple steps to make sure you're ready to do the job safely.
It begins by taking a moment to STOP, and ask yourself three questions:
What could go wrong? How bad could it be? Has anything changed?
Ask yourself: What could go wrong when working with a tractor?
For instance, could the tractor roll over? Could I or anyone else get run over?
Could I be involved in a collision? Tractor runovers are when a tractor
tragically runs over the driver of the tractor,
a bystander, or someone riding on the tractor with the driver.
Tractor rollovers are when a tractor rolls over onto its side,
or rolls over backwards, either of which can cause
a serious injury to the driver. Collisions are when the tractor
runs into another vehicle, or when another vehicle
runs into the tractor. You might be wondering, just how common
are these different types of incidents? As you can see, runovers account
for nearly one-quarter of all tractor-related incidents,
followed by rollovers and then collisions. But you can
use Stop Think Act to take steps to prevent these
incidents from occurring on your farm or workplace.
Next you should ask yourself: How bad could it be?
The consequences of a tractor incident can vary.
You could have a relatively minor injury, such as a sprained ankle or a stiff neck.
You could need to take time away from farming if you broke your leg or
suffered a concussion. You could suffer a lasting disability if you lost a limb.
Your farm or your family would likely face hardships if you were unable to do
your work because of an injury. It's even possible that you
or someone else could be killed as a result of a tractor incident.
Finally, before you head out to work with the tractor, you should
ask yourself: Has anything changed? It's not uncommon for circumstances
to change while you're working. Or, the conditions today might be
quite different than they were when you did the same job yesterday.
Take a moment to think about some changes that could affect the work
you're planning to do with the tractor each day.
Here are some examples. Is there a vehicle parked in your path,
or did someone move a machine from where it's usually parked?
Are your children home from school and playing outside in the yard,
where they could be at risk of being run over?
Have you needed to make-do with a 'quick fix' to your equipment
that might not be fully safe? Have there been changes in
the weather? For instance, has the ground thawed, meaning
your tractor could roll over or into the ditch? Or get stuck
and roll over when you're trying to pull it out?
Is it foggy or raining so heavily that you can't clearly see where you're going,
putting you at risk of a collision? It's important to ask yourself
what's different today than the last time you worked with the tractor.
Now that we've STOPPED to identify the potential risks, let's
consider some of the ways these risks can be eliminated
by taking a moment to THINK. At this point, ask yourself:
Do I clearly understand the task? Am I physically and mentally ready?
Do I have the right tools and equipment? To start, ask yourself:
Do I clearly understand the task? Do I really know everything
that's involved in safely operating this tractor?
Have I made sure that my workers are competent to operate the tractor?
Here are some examples of things you should think about to make sure you're
ready to operate a tractor safely. Have I been properly trained
on how to use a tractor? Have I read the operator's manual
or watched instructional videos? Do I know the rules of the road that
apply to tractors and farm equipment? Do I know the proper procedures
for refuelling a tractor? Do I know the correct way to carry
heavy loads in the tractor's bucket, or to pull heavy loads on a wagon?
And, here are some questions you should be asking yourself to help prevent
a tractor rollover or runover. Am I hitching an implement
'high' – above the draw bar? Am I driving the tractor
with the bucket raised? Am I taking turns too fast?
Do I ever drive my tractor across slopes, even very shallow slopes?
Do I forget to check my blind spots when driving forwards or backwards?
Finally, do I allow other people to ride on the tractor with me?
These are all risky habits that could lead to potentially
fatal consequences. Now let's consider:
Am I physically and mentally ready? Farming is hard work. Working with
a tractor isn't always easy. And I bet there have been more
than a few times when you felt like the farmer in this picture!
In order to stay safe, you need to be physically and mentally
ready for the task at hand. So, to know if you're
physically and mentally ready, ask yourself: Am I worried
about getting everything done? There's always pressure and stress
associated with farming. Am I feeling sick, or distracted?
Having difficulty concentrating? Am I taking any medication
that comes with a warning about operating machinery,
or the potential to cause drowsiness. Do I have
financial issues on my mind? Am I worried about loan payments
or crop prices? Are there family issues or
other stressors on my mind? Am I over-tired? Remember, fatigue
often can easily lead to an accident.. Any of these factors can
lead to poor decisions that could compromise your safety when
working with a tractor. The final 'think' question is: Do I
have the right tools and equipment? You may be physically and
mentally ready to work, but what about your tractor?
Is it ready to work? Take a moment to think about some
ways your tractor might not be ready. First off, am I using the
right tractor for the job? Does this tractor have enough
power for this job? Do I have a Slow Moving Vehicle sign
properly attached to the rear of my tractor, and to any
implement or wagon that I'm pulling behind me?
Are my tractors tires fully inflated? Are my tractors headlights and
tail-lights operational? Do I have a fire extinguisher
on board the tractor, and am I sure it's still charged?
Is there anything I should fix, change, or replace to ensure the
tractor is ready to do the job safely? And what about you?
Do you have what you need to operate the tractor safely?
Here are some questions to ask. Have I been properly trained
to use this tractor? Am I familiar with the
capability of this tractor – its speed, its stopping distance
with a load, its towing strength? Am I wearing the correct
Personal Protective Equipment? Should I be wearing hearing
protection? Steel-toed boots? And is my PPE in good shape?
Am I carrying a cell-phone so I can get help if i need it?
Did I bring along some water or lunch or snacks, so that I can fuel
my body and stay hydrated and alert? Now that we've taken a moment to STOP
and consider potential risks, and to THINK about what needs
to happen to do the job safely, we're finally ready to ACT.
Act is all about taking the steps to: Make it safe.
Use the right tools and equipment. Reduce risks. Here are some things
that will help you stay safe when working with a tractor.
Training is critical. Be sure that everyone using your equipment
is familiar with general tractor operating procedures,
as well as specific safety items for individual pieces of equipment.
The fact is, every tractor is different.
Every time you use your tractor, perform a circle check.
Walk around the tractor to make sure everything is in good condition.
Remember, every time that you use your tractor is a new situation.
You may work at the same location, day after day,
but you should always be looking out for changes
or new obstacles. Never step over the power take-off.
Your pant leg, your sleeve, your hair, or the strings
on your hoodie could get caught almost instantly,
causing you serious injury.
Keep people who are not actively assisting in the
operation of the tractor well away from where you're working.
Never let anyone ride on the tractor's fenders, in the cab, on the draw bar,
in the bucket, or on another attachment. Doing this puts them at risk
of being run over, or of becoming entangled
in a moving mechanical part. The only exception is when there's
an instructor riding with you, sitting in the proper training seat.
Drive slowly when making turns to avoid a tractor rollover.
Plan your route, taking into consideration
things like road conditions, cell-phone reception and traffic.
In order to stay safe on your tractor, it's essential
that you have – and use – the right tools and equipment.
Here are some suggestions about what you should take with you
when you head out to work. Make sure your cell-phone
is fully charged. It's a good idea to have emergency
numbers already stored in the phone. Be sure to have – and wear – all
required PPE, such as safety boots, hearing protection, or safety glasses.
Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing that could get caught in machinery,
resulting in personal injury. Wherever there are moving parts,
check that guards are in place and securely fastened
to properly protect you. Finally, every time we approach
a task, we make decisions that can either decrease or
increase our risk. By making the changes needed to avoid
the risks you've just identified, you can complete the task safely.
Here are some actions you can take to reduce your risk.
Avoid distractions while you're working. Don't eat or drink while you're driving.
Although you should have a cell-phone with you,
don't pull it out and use it until you're safely stopped
and out of the way of traffic. Distracted driving is against the law.
If you need to fine-tune something on the tractor,
be sure to shut off the engine and lock the brakes before making any adjustments.
Belts, fans, PTOs, and chains could grab you and pull you in.
Don't assume that machines won't fail. For instance, you shouldn't
assume that the hydraulic system will always hold up the bucket
if you're working beneath it. When you're working, take frequent
breaks to re-energize your body and re-set your concentration.
Whenever possible, drive your tractor forwards rather than backwards.
Ensure you have an emergency plan in place. Know what to do
if you're in a field and get injured,
and how you will get help. So that's the Stop Think Act safety tool.
Pretty simple, isn't it? Now that you've seen how Stop
Think Act can help you make the right choices to keep
you safe when working with a tractor, we hope you'll apply
Stop Think Act to other situations at home, work, or play.
So let me ask you: What will you do DIFFERENTLY now
to ensure you stay safe on your tractor?
And what will you do differently for the other tasks around the farm?
Are there lessons you can share with your workers, your family, or your
neighbours that will help everyone that you care about stay safe?
We hope you will continue to use Stop Think Act to ensure that
Nobody Gets Hurt. Workplace Safety & Prevention
Services has a range of programs and resources that can help you – and
those that you work with – stay safe. This was an introductory session to show
you how to apply the simple Stop Think Act tool to help you
operate your tractor safely. To learn more about
operating a tractor safely, please check out our additional tractor
safety awareness and training courses. We also offer a variety of resources –
ranging from videos to a 20-minute self-paced e-course to a half-day
training – all designed to meet the varying needs
of you and your workers. Thanks for taking the time to join us
for this presentation on tractor safety. Thank you to Dowler-Karn and Esso for
their support in the development of this presentation,
which was funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture,
Food and Rural Affairs. Remember, Stop, Think and then Act
before you work with
your tractor.