Tractors, farm vehicles and workplace transport

What you need to do...

The law says vehicles should be able to move around safely, be properly maintained and operators should be adequately trained. The key issues are:

• Stopping safely
• Suitable and safe vehicles
• Safe driver
• Safe site
• Visibility
• Pedestrian safety
• Overturning tractors and other self-propelled vehicles
• Quad bikes
• On the road
• Carrying dangerous goods

What you need to know...

The most common cause of serious and fatal injuries in agriculture involves moving and overturning vehicles.

Transport movements in and around the workplace need to be controlled to protect pedestrians, and to prevent damage to equipment and buildings.

Other incidents happen when people leave a vehicle without making sure it cannot move or cause injury in other ways.

Always:

• Make sure the vehicle braking system is working and properly maintained.
• Use the ‘safe stop’ procedure whenever you leave a vehicle.
• Lower to the ground any raised implements or loaders.

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Safe stop

Safe stop is the most important safety action of all:

• Handbrake on.
• Controls in neutral.
• Engine off and remove key.

All transport tasks combine three factors – vehicle, driver and site. If you look at these factors separately, you may find it easier to identify problems and take action.

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Suitable and safe vehicles

Check that vehicles, machines and handling equipment are:

• capable of safely performing the jobs you want them to do, with reversing aids such as mirrors;
• inspected daily and faults repaired promptly;
• properly maintained, paying particular attention to braking systems.

Check that your vehicles, or any machines with workers riding or working on them, are fitted with rollover protective structures (ROPS) and seatbelts if there is a risk of overturning.

Check that:

• drivers of materials handlers and loaders are protected from falling objects;
• loads are stable and secure;
• trailers have brakes designed for the maximum loads and speeds at which they will operate; and
• keys are kept secure when vehicles are not in use.

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Safe driver

Check that drivers:

• are medically fit to drive;
• are properly trained and unauthorised people are not allowed to drive;
• know how to safely enter and exit the vehicle.

Never allow passengers to ride on or in vehicle cabs unless they are sitting in a safe position and cannot impede the driver, accidentally contact the machine controls, or obscure the driver’s vision. Use a passenger seat and lap belt if provided.

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Safe site

Check that:

• vehicles and pedestrians are separated where possible;
• visiting drivers are aware of your rules, for example parking areas and one-way systems;
• vehicle routes reduce the need to reverse, for example, by adding turning circles, or using one-way systems;
• traffic routes are properly maintained and adequately lit;
• warning and speed limit signs are clear and consistent with The Highway Code.

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Visibility

Drivers of loaders, lift trucks and telescopic handlers suffer from poor forward visibility when carrying loads in front of them.  Position the load so it does not obscure your vision. If this compromises stability it may be safer to travel in reverse. Take extra care and be vigilant when it has not been possible to exclude people from the work area.  Take a good look around the vehicle and sound the horn before moving off.

• Use a banksman to guide you when reversing if necessary
• A banksman should stand in a safe place where the driver can see them
• Telescopic handlers can have blind spots created by the boom so check for pedestrians before manoeuvring
• Ensure mirrors are fitted and properly adjusted. Repair mirrors if broken
• Mirrors and cab windows should be kept clean. 
• Windscreen wipers should be fitted and working

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Pedestrian safety

Never approach or walk behind or beside a reversing vehicle.  If you must approach, attract the driver’s attention first and get them to stop especially if you need to speak to the driver or mount the machine. Do not get on or off vehicles whilst they are moving.

• Audible alarms can be fitted to vehicles to warn people when they are reversing
• Never attempt to squeeze between a moving vehicle and a doorway or fixed object
• If possible have separate access doors in buildings  for vehicles and pedestrians
• Wear high visibility clothing to help others see you

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Overturning tractors and other self-propelled vehicles

You may only use a tractor or machine without ROPS in low-risk situations such as buildings and orchards or where specific exemptions exist. Where rollover protection is fitted, you should also have seatbelts fitted if a machine will be used in situations where there is a risk of overturning. To reduce the risk of an overturn:

• make sure that tractors and machines are properly equipped and maintained, especially brakes, steering and tyres. Consider wide wheel settings for work on slopes;
• plan the operation in advance, and make sure operators know the key elements of safe working on slopes.

Remember:

• you should always turn uphill when working across a slope, and descend straight down the gentlest gradient;
• you cannot always safely descend a slope that you safely drove up;
• tractor rear wheel grip lessens as the load of a rear-mounted machine is emptied;
• tractors with trailed rollers, four-wheel trailers etc will have extra thrust imposed with no additional weight – they may slide away out of control.

To reduce the risk of injury if you do overturn:

• stay in the cab and do not try to jump clear, as most deaths and serious injuries involve those who jump or are thrown out of a cab during overturning;
• check that the safety frame or cab is in good condition and correctly fitted. Corrosion and incorrect mounting bolts can cause the safety frame to fail in an overturn;
• never remove windows or doors from a safety cab;
• wear the seatbelts fitted, as this is a legal requirement where there is a risk of overturning. Consider fitting belts where not installed as original equipment;
• don’t carry loose items inside the cab as they may cause extra injury in an overturn.

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Quad bikes

All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) such as quad bikes have been involved in many serious incidents. Head injuries are the most common cause of death and everyone riding a quad bike should wear a suitable helmet and have received adequate training. You can get details of suitable training courses from franchised ATV dealers, manufacturers’ websites, EASI (European ATV Safety Institute), Forestry Commission, Lantra Awards and agricultural colleges.

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On the road

Specific legislation applies to vehicles that travel on public highways. The primary enforcement bodies are the police and VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) – consult them for specific detailed adviceand DVLC for issues relating to driving licences.

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Carrying dangerous goods

Under the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2007, certain rules apply when you carry dangerous goods by road, for example, acids, ammonium nitrate fertilisers, pesticides, and diesel fuel. Exemptions exist for trailers towed by agricultural or forestry tractors, but these do not apply for other vehicles such as Land Rovers.

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