Farm Tractors & PTO Shafts
Tractor rollovers are the leading cause of death on farms, and the power take-off (PTO) shaft is one of the most dangerous parts on any machine. Both are also common hazards for landscapers, groundskeepers and rural homeowners.
- Agriculture
- Landscaping
- Rural homeowners
Photo: tractor with ROPS frame up and a fully shielded PTO driveline connected to a rotary cutter
Rollovers
- ROPS and a seat belt together prevent nearly all rollover deaths. Wear the belt whenever the ROPS is up. See Equipment Rollovers.
- Keep folding ROPS up and locked except when you must lower it for low clearance, and don’t wear the belt when it’s down.
- Drive slowly on slopes, near ditches and on rough ground; avoid steep side slopes.
- Set wheels as wide as practical for stability.
Rearward flips
Hitching to anything above the drawbar, or pulling a stuck load, can make the front of the tractor rear up and flip backward in about a second. Hitch only to the drawbar, start pulling slowly, and use front weights as needed.
PTO shafts
- A PTO shaft spins at 540 or 1,000 RPM. It can grab clothing, hair or a shoelace and wrap you around the shaft in a fraction of a second.
- The master shield on the tractor and the driveline shield on the implement must be in place and spin freely.
Never step over, reach across or work near a turning PTO shaft. Disengage the PTO, shut off the engine, take the key and wait for all parts to stop before getting off the tractor to adjust, unclog or hook up anything.
Other tractor hazards
- No extra riders, unless there’s a seat and belt for them
- Start the tractor only from the seat; bypass starting has run people over
- Use SMV (slow-moving vehicle) emblems and lights on roads
- Keep children away from tractors and implements
- Block raised implements before working under them
Standards & references
- 29 CFR 1928.51: Rollover protective structures for tractors
- 29 CFR 1928.57: Guarding of farm field equipment, including PTO
- NIOSH: Agricultural safety
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