Farm safety scheme on course for national roll-out looks at issue of tractor's PTO

A PTO at the rear end of a tractor
A PTO at the rear end of a tractor

A new farm safety scheme looking at improving awareness of a tractor's Power Take off (PTO) is on course for a national roll-out.

A tractor power take-off and the PTO drive shaft of a machine are very dangerous if used and not correctly guarded.

Every year people are killed or seriously injured in accidents involving PTOs and PTO drive shafts.

Most of these accidents are preventable if the PTO and PTO drive shaft are fitted with guards of good design which are properly used and maintained.

The farm safety scheme, Growing Safer Farmers, has been piloted successfully in Devon so far.

It is now hoped that once the pilots have been reviewed that the scheme can be rolled out nationally with the support of the British Agricultural and Garden Machinery Association (BAGMA) and the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).

Speaking at the National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs (NFYFC) Council meeting in Coventry, where Devon’s County Chair Claire Bellew presented the scheme, Ed Ford said he was excited to be involved in helping to support Devon to take the scheme wider.

“In my year as Chairman I wanted to highlight farm safety, I was not prepared for the high number of fatalities this year. Four members of NFYFC, four of my members, four of your members.

“Devon FYFC has taken the bull by the horns and I feel its scheme could change the way the industry thinks. Once we have trialled it in Essex and everyone involved is happy, we will work with Devon to roll it out nationally. It’s very exciting and we’re all passionate about it, so watch this space.”

'Make things safer'

The idea, which came about following the tragic death of Lauren Scott, one of the Devon's YFC members, is to engage farm machinery dealers and agricultural engineers to always check the Power Take Off (PTO) drives on every machine they are working on.

Machinery dealers are asked to issue a written report to the owner/operator concerning the condition of the PTO and if the owner declines to have any repairs made to faulty PTO guards, they are asked to sign paperwork to say they have been notified of the PTO problems.

So far, Devon’s pilot has shown that the vast majority of inspections that indicate a repair or replacement is required have been acted on by the owner/operator.

The machinery has then been repaired to ensure it is safe and meets the safety regulations, which have been in place for more than 60 years.

Nick Creasy, Operations Manger for Devon FYFC, said: “We are so pleased with the positive responses from both the farmers and machinery companies. In the first four months of the project we have seen 460 repairs and replacements completed. This has got to make things safer for the people operating these machines.”