Guards only as good as their last check

from The Farmlander - February 2022

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February is a busy time for making hay and silage. It is also when ACC receives the highest number of reports of farm workplace accidents due to people being trapped in moving machinery or equipment.

“Such accidents may be fatal or cause devastating and life-changing injuries,” Angela Mansell, Acting Director Engagement and Implementation for WorkSafe New Zealand, says. “All farm machinery has the potential to harm. Machinery should be fitted with guards and only be used by people who have had the necessary experience and training to use it safely. “Even for experienced people, it’s important to take a few minutes to think through what the risks might be for the specific job you are doing with that particular machine and how you will manage those.” Power take-off (PTO) shafts on tractors or other farm machinery such as slashers are a significant risk. People have been killed and seriously injured after getting caught in PTO shafts and couplings. “There does not need to be any part sticking out from the PTO assembly to cause entanglement,” Angela says. “Clothing only needs to wrap around the shaft once. The friction of the fabric touching itself makes it stick and then as the PTO turns, the force wrapping the fabric around the shaft increases.” Older tractors and tools may not have the original fixed guards for the power output coupling (POC) or power input coupling (PIC) or the originals may not be in safe condition. Employers must still make sure all parts of the PTO are adequately guarded. If that is not the case, Angela says, you will need to buy guards or have them made. Before using a PTO or instructing someone else to use one you should always consider if the turning equipment is sufficiently guarded. The guarding for a PTO includes: • A POC guard, also known as the tractor master guard. This should be permanently attached to the tractor. If it is movable, it must be held securely in place when the tractor is in use. • An implement PIC guard. This should be permanently attached to the implement. If it is movable, it must be held securely in place when in use.

There should be no nip-points where body parts or clothing can be caught. • A PTO shaft guard that extends into the POC and PIC areas for the maximum practical distance.

The guard can be rotating or not.

A non-rotating guard needs a way to be restrained. A rotating guard must turn freely and be able to be stopped by hand without risk of injury or entanglement. All guards specified by the manufacturer must be in place and well maintained and should be fitted and used according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If a guard needs to be removed for maintenance or cleaning, isolate and lock out machinery so it cannot be started without the guard. Check all guards regularly – daily when in use – for wear and damage and replace damaged guards.

| Power take-off shafts on tractors or other farm machinery are a significant safety risk.