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European Agency for Safety and Health at Work

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Workplace transport

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Introduction

Every year about 5500 people are killed in workplace accidents in the EU, of which about a third are related to transport. These accidents usually involve:

  • persons being struck or run over by moving vehicles (e.g. during reversing);
  • persons falling from vehicles;
  • persons being struck by objects falling from vehicles; or
  • vehicles overturning.

The incidence of accidents is higher in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 50 employees. These accidents can be avoided by effective management and prevention measures.

Transport and transport related accidents are among the most common causes of fatal injuries in the agricultural sector. Common scenarios involve being struck or run over by moving vehicles, and being trapped or crushed when vehicles overturn. Many of these accidents are caused by a lack of operator training and poor visibility.

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Prevention

The first step in preventing workplace transport accidents is to carry out a risk assessment to identify who is at risk, and where and when it occurs. This risk assessment should be used to decide what action must be taken to remove or reduce this risk. Consulting the workforce is a requirement. Using their knowledge helps to ensure hazards are correctly spotted and workable solutions implemented.

Prevention measures can be divided up into:

  • Workplace prevention measures
  • Vehicle orientated prevention measures
  • Worker orientated prevention measures
  • Safe systems of work

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Workplace prevention

Better design of the workplace. Check that the layout of routes is appropriate for vehicle and pedestrian activities. The priority should always be to segregate pedestrians and vehicles. If this is not possible, adequate warnings must be in place. Ensure there are suitable pedestrian crossing points on vehicle routes. Consider introducing a one-way traffic system to reduce the risk of collisions. Check that vehicle traffic routes are suitable for the types and quantity of vehicles that use them. Ensure they are wide enough and that floor and road surfaces are kept in good condition. Remove obstructions where possible, otherwise, make sure they are clearly visible. Avoid including sharp bends in road layouts. Provide suitable fixed mirrors at blind corners, to enable good visibility around the corner.

Check that suitable safety features are provided. Direction, speed limit and priority signs may be needed. Determine whether physical speed restrictions such as speed bumps are necessary. Edges of loading bays, pits etc must be clearly marked and fitted with a barrier if possible.

Check that lighting and visibility provide safe passage through the work site (both inside and outside). Potential hazards, e.g. road junctions, pedestrians and instructions must be clearly visible. High visibility clothing may be needed for drivers and/or pedestrians if they cannot be segregated adequately.

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Vehicle orientated prevention measures

Ensure that vehicles are maintained appropriately. Preventive maintenance programmes are required. Drivers should carry out basic safety checks before using vehicles, e.g. pre-shift check of brakes and lights.

Ensure that a safe and suitable vehicle is being used. Vehicles should be purchased with appropriate safety features and comply with required standards. There must be safe means of access to and exit from the vehicle. The driver may need protection against overturning or being hit by falling objects. (Falling object and roll over protection). Consider using audible warning devices, e.g. on reversing lorries, and flashing beacons on vehicles to increase their visibility.

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Worker orientated prevention measures

Check that selection and training procedures ensure that drivers are capable of working safely. Drivers should be competent to operate their vehicles and carry out daily maintenance. Drivers should be medically fit, with good mobility, hearing and vision. Only people who have been selected, trained and authorised to do so should be allowed to drive vehicles.

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Training

Driver training is essential and a legal requirement. An untrained driver is a danger to him/herself and others. Employees have duties to co-operate actively with employers' preventive measures, following instructions in accordance with the training given.

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Case study - training

An employee was teaching a casual worker how to drive a tractor during cabbage harvesting. The casual worker had very little experience of driving tractors, and was having difficulty engaging the gears. The instructor became impatient, reached into the cab and, while standing alongside the tractor, moved the gear lever. The tractor lurched forward, crushing the instructor beneath the dual wheels.

Training is essential. Never rush it, or leave it until the last minute.

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Safe systems of work

Avoid the need for reversing. Use safe systems of work for reversing. Ensure safe systems of work for loading and unloading vehicles.

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Case study - Safe starting procedures

The driver of a tractor and loaded grain trailer broke his ribs after being trapped beneath a wheel. He had been standing alongside the tractor to start the engine so that he could tip the trailer. He then reached in to operate the tip control. The handbrake was not fully on and as the grain started to come out of the trailer, the tractor moved forward, trapping him beneath the wheel. Only start a tractor from the seat.

Only operate controls from the correct position.

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How to stop a tractor safely

  • Make sure the handbrake is fully applied.
  • Make sure all controls and equipment are left safe.
  • Stop the engine.
  • Remove the key.

Always do this:

  • before leaving your seat; or
  • when anyone else approaches; or
  • when anyone else is working on the machine.

You need to take extra precautions when this stop procedure is not possible, for example when using slurry tankers or external controls.

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Case study - safe stopping procedures

A tractor driver was picking up silage with a trailed forage harvester when it became blocked. He got off the machine to try and clear the blockage. He did not stop the engine or the power take off (PTO) drive. As he removed a guard the rotor hit his arm and ripped it off. He died from loss of blood.

Always follow "SAFE STOP" before clearing a blockage.

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Preventing overturning tractors

Overturning tractors is a too common accident in agriculture. The tractor can overturn bother laterally or backwards ("rearing").

Key preventive measures to prevent overturning vehicles include:

  • Selection of correct type of vehicle necessary for the terrain and work to be carried out (good procurement practices)
  • Little can be done about the lie of the land, but improvements can be made in some areas, e.g. by maintaining road surfaces and access and egress routes to land.
  • Ensuring that all vehicles operators are suitable trained not only in the driving of the tractor but also in the use of equipment that is attached to the vehicle.
  • Planned maintenance is to keep the tractor in a safe working condition is essential. Scheduled inspection and maintenance should cover, amongst other things:
    • Brakes
    • The state of the wheels and tyres
    • Steering
    • Towing facilities

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Case study - roll over

A well-maintained four-wheel-drive tractor was being driven down a 1 in 4 grassland slope during cold weather. The driver had not assessed the ground conditions properly and arrived at a frozen part of the slope. The tractor slid for 50 m, gaining speed, then bounced and rolled over, throwing the driver through one of the doors, breaking his leg. No one found him until nine hours later.

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Causes of overturning

Type of causal factor
Causal factors for overturning
1. Dangers intrinsic to tractors
  • Stability problems caused by high centre of gravity and narrow wheel base
  • Lack of sensitivity in controls
  • Instability during towing operations
2. Irregular terrain
  • Poor access to land
  • Irregular terrain, sloping land, presence of ditches
3. Inadequate training and preparation of the driver
  • Failure of training
  • Lack of knowledge about the risks
  • Lack of knowledge about the limitations of the tractor
4. Technical fault
  • Failure to maintain equipment
5. Unsafe acts or incorrectly implemented manoeuvres by the operator
  • Combination of causal factors from (2) and (3) above

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Carriage of passengers on farm trailers

When passengers are carried on farm trailers, there is a risk of injury or death. Whenever people are transported around the farm:

  • The towing vehicle should be suitable and maintained in good working order (especially brakes, tyres, and steering), and should have the facility to operate trailer brakes;
  • The trailer should be correctly and securely coupled to the towing vehicle. It should be in sound condition and maintained in good working order (particularly tyres, brakes, and connection to the tractor);
  • Neither passengers nor driver should be able to contact the wheels from any position in which they may be riding.
  • the vehicle they are being carried on should be suitable for the purpose;
  • the driver of the towing vehicle should be a competent person. Adequate training should have taken place;
  • Tail lighting systems in full working order should be fitted on both the towing and trailed vehicles, especially direction indicators;
  • When passengers are to be carried after dark, provide effective lights that will illuminate the access/egress areas and the area of the trailer used by passengers.
  • a safe system of work (safe working practices) should be followed. For example, a responsible person should travel on the trailer to control and help the passengers, and the driver should not move the trailer without first receiving instructions or signals from the responsible person to do so.

Do not use trailers in circumstances where overturn is foreseeable.

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