28 March 2023

Tractor work – make safety a priority

After a busy spring, not helped by recent challenging weather conditions, many farmers will be returning to the fields in the coming days and weeks to complete field work – once weather conditions allow.

Rainfall over much of March, which seen some areas untrafficable, has delayed many of the annual spring tasks on tillage, drystock and dairy farms. This delay has the potential to add pressure when it comes to getting crops sown, sprayed and fertilised in a tillage scenario or slurry and fertiliser applied in many grassland situations. Take time to complete the necessary checks beforehand to ensure that these tasks are completed in a safe manner.

Tractors and farm vehicles can help you save time, money and increase productivity, but they are also very hazardous if not operated in a safe manner. The vast majority of serious tractor accidents are caused by inexperienced operators, lack of concentration, speed, unguarded parts and poor mechanical condition of the vehicle. Tractors and farm vehicles account for 45% of fatal injuries on farms. A large number of these deaths are related to crush injuries, which can happen during a wide range of everyday tasks.

Do you implement safe systems of work? Carry out tractor safety checks before starting work each day. The weight and power of the tractor can cause serious injuries and death. Take action to prevent injuries associated with tractors.

Last year, Teagasc, in association with FBD Insurance and the Health and Safety Authority, released a series of videos which show ‘best practice’ related to facilities and behaviours for farm safety. The tractor safety video is available below.

The full video series is available here.