Farmer fatally injured while operating tractor

Background

An experienced person was operating a tractor with a home-made squeegee attachment to clean effluent from a concrete path at a dairy.

The operator was crushed when the tractor reversed under a low structure, trapping the operator between the structure and the steering wheel.

The tractor cabin had previously been removed, exposing the operator to the crushing risk.

Agriculture makes up only 2% of Victoria’s workforce, but 14% of workplace deaths. About 75% of these deaths involve farm machinery.

Farm machinery is involved in 75% of farm fatalities and is the leading cause of both on-farm fatalities and serious injuries.

Safety issues

Unsafe plant

Removing the cabin or Roll Over Protective Structure (ROPS) from a tractor exposes the operator to a range of hazards.

Risks include being crushed if the tractor rolls over or when the tractor is operated under low structures, which can pin the operator between the structure and the tractor.

Design of workplace structures

A structure built with 2 pine posts and a metal square hollow section tube had been installed across an opening between the concrete path and the effluent pond.

The structure’s purpose was to elevate a poly-pipe, which provides water to a cattle trough further down the path.

The operator regularly used the squeegee attachment to push effluent under the low structure.

The height of the structure combined with the size of the tractor created a crushing risk, which required the operator to ‘stop’ before reaching the edge of the concrete path under the low structure.

The concrete path ended directly under the structure, increasing the chance of the rear wheels of the tractor rolling off the concrete path and trapping the operator under the low structure.

Poor systems of work

Reversing the tractor towards the hazard increased the risk of crushing the operator.

The operator would have had more time to react to a dangerous situation if the tractor had been driven forward.

Recommended ways to control risks

Eliminate structures that create crushing risks

Farmers should review structures installed around the farm to ensure they do not create a risk to operators of powered mobile plant, including tractors, quad bikes and side by sides.

In this circumstance, the poly-pipe could have been buried underground so it was not run-over by the tractor and attachment, or the water trough relocated, removing the need for the low structure.

Use alternative plant to drive forward

Consider using alternative plant that requires forward motion and does not require the operator to mainly drive backwards.

The operator could use a skid steer loader, telehandler or articulated wheel loader. This would allow the operator to drive forward while maintaining a tight turning radius to push the effluent off the side of the path.

Provide an appropriate enclosure on tractors when operating around low structures.

Tractors operated in Victoria must be fitted with ROPS, except in limited circumstances.

Provide a cabin with integrated ROPS which encloses the operator. This would reduce the likelihood of the operator being crushed between the steering wheel and the low structure.

Design of structures including roads and paths

Eliminate the risk to operators of powered mobile plant, including tractors operating under low structures by either:

• removing the structure and burying the pipe
• installing suitable barriers to prevent the plant accessing the crushing risk, in this case a barrier to prevent the wheels of the tractor from passing underneath the structure
• increasing the height of the structure to provide sufficient clearance for the plant operating in the area.

Improve the system of work

Ensure good systems of work when operating a tractor. Conduct pre-operational checks, maintain the machine, use safety equipment like ROPS.

Necessary training and a safe working environment are crucial, and operators should have an emergency plan in place.

Conduct a safety assessment of the proposed path to assess ground stability and overhead risks.

The driver should work with a spotter with an agreed system of communication. The spotter can improve situational awareness for the driver when reversing a tractor.

Legal duties

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, employers have duties which they must fulfil so far as is reasonably practicable. Their duties include the following:

• Providing and maintaining a working environment that is safe and without risks to health.
• Providing and maintaining plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health.
• Maintaining a workplace under their management and control in a condition that is safe and without risks to health.
• Providing employees and independent contractors with information, instruction, training or supervision as is necessary for them to perform work safely and without risks to health.
• Ensuring people who are not employees are not exposed to risks to their health and safety arising from the employer's conduct.

Self-employed persons must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons are not exposed to risks to their health or safety arising from the conduct of their undertaking.

Employers and self-employed people must also, so far as is reasonably practicable:

• identify all hazards associated with the use of plant at the workplace
• control risks associated with plant according to the plant hierarchy of control
• ensure the plant is inspected to the extent necessary to ensure that risks associated with its use are monitored
• ensure plant that is not in use is left in a state that does not create a risk for any person.