Entanglement hazards
Every year people are killed or severely injured by becoming entangled in power machinery.
Types and parts of machinery
- Power take-off drive shafts and tractor power take-off (PTO)
- Gears and sprockets, eg feed mixers
- Belts and pulleys, eg roller mills, pasture toppers
- Rotating machine parts, eg power harrows, tedders
Operator errors
- Failing to disconnect power before clearing blockages
- Carrying out maintenance with machine running
- Failing to replace guards after removal
- Wearing loose clothing or trailing drawstrings, eg on anorak hoods
- Trailing hair
Design points
- Provide automatic or external lubrication points.
- Ensure machine setting and adjustment can be carried out from a safe position.
- Guard PTO drive shafts by enclosing them along their full length from the tractor to the first bearing on the machine.
- Use fixed guards to prevent access to moving parts that are not 'safe by position'. Fixed guards must require the use of a tool to open or remove and their fixings should generally remain attached to either the guard or machine when removed.
- If access is needed that precludes the use of fixed guards, use interlocking guards.
- Provide fixed stand-off guards or barriers around processing parts that cannot be fully guarded
Operator instructions and training
Instructions for using this type of machinery must include clear guidance on:
- Stopping machinery before clearing blockages or maintaining
- Safe working methods for setting and adjustment
- Keeping guards in position
- Wearing appropriate clothing with no trailing cords
- Relevant training, eg Lantra qualification and accreditation
Find out more
- Standard BS EN 12965:2003 Tractors and machinery for agriculture and forestry. Power take-off (PTO) drive shafts and their guards.
- Standard BS EN ISO 4254-1 Agricultural machinery safety – General requirements