Maintenance
Moving farm equipment safely
Mar. 16, 2016 - According to the Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting (CAIR) program, 13 per cent of farm-related fatalities across Canada are traffic-related, and most involved tractors.
May 16, 2016 By Alberta Agriculture and Forestry
During the busy spring season, farmers often travel long distances between fields, and this requires transporting equipment on public roads throughout rural Alberta. Farm equipment is oversized and slow compared to other vehicles using the roads and when certain procedures are not met, this can lead to collisions and other incidents.
“Maintenance is a contributing factor to the safety of transporting farm equipment,” says Kenda Lubeck, farm safety coordinator, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AF). “Poor maintenance of equipment such as brakes or tires can lead to loss of control of the vehicle.”
Check all tires for air pressure, cuts, bumps and tread wear. Always lock brake pedals together for highway travel as sudden braking at high speeds on only one wheel could put the tractor into a dangerous skid. Equip heavy wagons with their own independent brakes.
The number one cause of farm-related fatalities in Canada is machinery roll overs. To minimize the risk of severe injury or death to the operator, all tractors need roll-over protective structures (ROPS),” says Lubeck. “In addition, operators should always wear a seatbelt as ROPS are ineffective in a roll over without this restraining device.”
To avoid traffic collisions between motorists and farm equipment, farmers should ensure their equipment is clearly visible and follows all regulated requirements for lighting and signage. This will ensure approaching traffic has time to react to a slow-moving vehicle. Use reflective tape and reflectors in the event that large equipment is required to travel in dim lighting conditions. In Canada, reflective material should be red and orange strips. You can purchase tape in kits or by the foot at local farm or hardware stores.
Dust-covered signage and lights make farm machinery less visible to motorists and dust-covered machinery causes poor visibility for the operator, who may not see oncoming traffic. Be sure to clean farm equipment prior to transportation to minimize the risk of collision due to poor visibility.
“It’s important to note that regulated requirements for lighting and signage on public roadways include the use of a slow-moving vehicle (SMV) sign,” explains Lubeck. “The SMV sign must be properly mounted, clean and not faded. It must be positioned on the rear of the tractor or towed implement and clearly visible. SMV signs must only be used on equipment travelling less than 40 km/hr.”
For more information on the safe transportation of farm equipment on public roads, see AF’s Make it Safe, Make it Visible or go to www.agriculture.alberta.ca for more information on farm safety.
