In brief
The most serious tractor accidents are sideways or rearward rollovers, clothing wrapping around the PTO shaft, and crushing while hitching a trailer. A rollover protective structure only protects when it is upright and locked and used together with a seat belt; equipment with a missing PTO shaft guard must not be used.
How do tractor accidents happen?
Tractor accidents often develop in a few seconds and have irreversible consequences. Most accidents in fields, orchards, greenhouses or on the road fit one of four scenarios: the tractor rolling over sideways on a slope or at the edge of a ditch, the front end lifting while pulling a heavy load and the tractor rolling over backwards, clothing wrapping around the rotating PTO shaft, and crushing between the tractor and the equipment while a trailer or implement is being hitched.
Agricultural businesses, greenhouses, nurseries and the parks and gardens units of municipalities in the lowland districts of Bursa are places where tractors are used every day. Every agricultural business that employs workers falls within the scope of Law No. 6331; the Law excludes only those who produce on their own behalf and account without employing workers (Art. 2). In other words, the tractor is a piece of work equipment that must be addressed as a separate heading in the business's risk assessment. Most of the measures in this article also apply to any agricultural machinery accident involving tractor-drawn equipment such as ploughs, balers or sprayers.
Tractor rollover protection: the safety frame and seat belt
The most effective protection against rollover is a cab or tractor safety frame that leaves a survival space around the driver. The frame is designed to prevent the driver being crushed between the tractor and the ground when the tractor rolls over. But it is not enough on its own: if the seat belt is not worn, the driver is thrown from the seat during the rollover and often ends up under the tractor or the frame. The frame and the belt are a system that works together.
The most common frame-related mistakes in the field are:
- Leaving a foldable frame folded: A frame folded down inside an orchard or for low doorways provides no protection if it is not raised and locked when moving into open ground.
- Welding or drilling the frame: Welding, drilling or cutting added to the frame later can impair its strength. For modifications and repairs, consult the manufacturer or an authorised service.
- Disabling the belt: The belt buckle is broken, the belt is stuffed under the seat or missing altogether.
- Using an old tractor as it is: An old tractor without a frame is the most dangerous vehicle on sloping ground, at the edge of ditches and at the roadside.
| Situation | Why does it roll over? | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Sloping ground | The centre of gravity shifts to the downhill side | Do not work across steep slopes; do not exceed the slope permitted by the manufacturer; widen the wheel track |
| Edge of a ditch, trench or ridge | The edge collapses and the wheel drops into the gap | Stay a safe distance from the edge; do not approach the edge after rain |
| Speed when turning | Centrifugal force pushes the tractor outwards | Slow down before turning; carry the front loader low |
| Pulling a heavy load | If the hitch point is high, the front end lifts | Use only the drawbar; pull away slowly; fit front weights if necessary |
| Getting stuck | The rear wheel turns and the tractor rears up around its own axle | Do not force your way out with logs or boards; tow from the front with another vehicle |
| Roads and ramps | Brake imbalance, load shifting | On the road, couple the brake pedals together, check the trailer brakes and lights |
Tractors with a front loader (bucket) need particular attention. Carrying the load high shifts the centre of gravity upwards and forwards; a small pothole or slope is enough for a sideways rollover. Carry the bucket only high enough off the ground not to block your view, make turns with the load low and never lift people in the bucket. Use a suitable attachment for loads that can roll, such as bales or logs; the load can roll off the bucket onto the driver.
Rearward rollovers and hitching trailers
A rearward rollover develops faster than a sideways one; the driver often has no time to react. The main cause is pulling a load from the wrong point. Attaching a chain or rope to the top link point, the axle or any point above the drawbar turns the pulling force into a lever that lifts the front end. The load must always be pulled from the drawbar or hitch hook intended by the manufacturer.
There is a risk of crushing when hitching trailers and equipment. For safe hitching:
- Reverse the tractor slowly up to the trailer; nobody should stand between them until the hitch point is aligned.
- Stop the tractor, apply the handbrake and put the gearbox in neutral; only then should the helper approach.
- Insert the hitch pin and lock it with a safety clip; do not use a bolt or nail instead of the pin.
- Connect the hydraulic hoses and brake and light connections; raise the trailer stand.
- Do not carry people on the trailer bed, the mudguards or on top of the equipment.
Annex I, item 3.1.2 of the Work Equipment Regulation requires protective measures where there is a risk of impact or trapping between a towing vehicle and towed equipment. Annex II, item 2.4 also does not permit people to be carried on mechanically driven mobile equipment unless the manufacturer has expressly stated that people may be carried and safety can be fully ensured.
PTO shaft entanglement: within seconds
The PTO (power take-off) shaft is the rotating shaft that transmits the tractor's power to equipment such as a plough, cultivator, sprayer or baler. It rotates at high speed, and a loose trouser leg, scarf, hood cord, long hair or shoelace caught on an unguarded point wraps the person around the shaft in less than a second. In PTO shaft entanglement accidents there is usually no time to intervene.
The guarding consists of three parts: the PTO shield on the tractor side, the protective tube that encloses the shaft and is fixed with a chain to stop it rotating, and the guard on the equipment side. Annex I, item 2.8 of the Work Equipment Regulation requires guards against the risk of mechanical contact with moving parts and requires these guards not to be easily removed or rendered ineffective. Item 3.1.3 also requires measures to prevent parts transmitting energy between moving units from being damaged by touching the ground.
Trying to clear a blocked implement while the machine is running leads to entanglement and trapping accidents through the same mechanism. The logic of isolating and locking out energy also applies in agriculture; for details, see our articles on the lockout tagout procedure and machine guarding.
Daily check before starting work
Annex III of the Work Equipment Regulation requires work equipment to be checked by operators before each start of work. A short list for tractors:
- Is the protective frame upright and locked, and is the belt sound and working?
- Are the PTO shield and shaft guard in place, and is the protective tube not rotating freely?
- Do the brakes, handbrake and brake pedal lock work?
- Are the tyre pressures and wheel track suitable for the work to be done?
- Are the hitch pin, safety clip and trailer connections secure?
- Are the lights, reflectors and slow-moving vehicle sign in place?
- Are there any leaks or wear on the hydraulic hoses?
- Is the key kept where unauthorised persons and children cannot reach it?
Carrying out this check in writing ensures that shortcomings are not forgotten and shows what was checked if there is an accident. Our article on the forklift operator daily check can serve as an example of a similar daily check routine.
Training, risk assessment and health
Who will operate the tractor should be specified in writing. The person who will use it is given a hands-on briefing at the vehicle during induction training; in the job-specific risks section of basic training, rollovers, the PTO shaft and trailer hitching are covered separately. Employees starting in the seasonal period also receive this training before starting work. For the content, see our article on the induction training programme.
The tractor should not be a single line in the risk assessment: road transport, sloping plots, ditch edges, hitching equipment and spraying are assessed separately. When choosing measures, follow the hierarchy of controls: first change the working method on the risky plot, then improve the equipment, and resort to PPE last. Long-term tractor use is also taken into account in health surveillance because of vibration, noise and back strain; the content of examinations is determined by the workplace physician.
Bursa Sistemer provides an OHS specialist service to agricultural businesses in Bursa and neighbouring provinces. For areas with a lot of farmland, see our Karacabey and Yenişehir pages, and for your minimum obligations, see the OHS obligations calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
My old tractor has no protective frame; what should I do?
Find out from the manufacturer or an authorised service whether a suitable frame is available for your tractor; a frame you make yourself may not provide the same protection in a rollover. Until a frame is fitted, do not use this tractor on sloping ground, at ditch edges or on the road.
Is an OHS specialist mandatory for an agricultural business?
Every business that employs workers falls within the scope of Law No. 6331 and has an obligation to appoint an OHS specialist and a workplace physician. The Law excludes only those who produce on their own behalf and account without employing workers.
The PTO shaft guard is torn; can I finish the job and replace it afterwards?
No. Working with a PTO shaft whose guard is missing or damaged is the most common cause of entanglement accidents. Do not use the equipment until the guard has been replaced.
What should be done first if there is a tractor accident?
First stop the engine and disengage the PTO, then call 112. Do not try to lift an overturned tractor without adequate equipment; there is a risk of another rollover or slip. The accident is reported to the Social Security Institution (SGK) within three working days, and its causes are recorded in the risk assessment.
Can workers be carried on a trailer?
No. The Work Equipment Regulation does not permit people to be carried on this kind of equipment unless the manufacturer has expressly stated that people may be carried and safety can be fully ensured. Transport employees to the field in a suitable vehicle.
A certified specialist matched to your hazard class: site inspections, approved logbook, training plan, annual plan and report follow-up.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.