Newbie or Veteran Tractor Safety - Please add your experience!

[3930dave]

Don't attach tow cables/chains/straps high.

Know where your draw-bar attaches to your tractor, and understand why it is down that low.

Agree that eye-contact around all equipment is critical.

Rgds, D.

 

[om21braz]

Even if fuel is only a mile away down the road, you're better taking a jug in your truck to go get fuel. People drive like idiots around tractors - even when the tractor is bigger than they are.

 

[Soldier415]

Following

 

[dragoneggs]

My reminders everytime I climb on board... always!

LOW and SLOW (FEL and speed)
UP and ON. (ROPS and seatbelt)

I tend to get lazy on the seat belt thing and sometimes try to break my rules when hopping on and off. Trying hard to stay true to the rules. My 85 year old neighbor gives me the curious eye when I put my seat belt on in the driveway for a quick inane task. I tell him I am trying live as long as him. Then he treats me to a beer when I'm done though... life is good... and only once that I know of!

 

[rekees4300]

ROPS aren't worth a dime if you aren't wearing a seatbelt.

And if you aren't using a seatbelt then don't use the ROPS. At least that way, as a last resort, you will have a few seconds to jump away from the tractor before being squashed. Of course the best option is to always use the seatbelt AND the ROPS, which would preclude the need to jump.

 

[CobyRupert]

Count how many things give you the willies on this video:
1 Approaches spinning auger while distracted shooting video.
2. Approaches spinning PTO while distracted.
3. Does both 1 & 2 while nobody is on the tractor or near the PTO switch. Tractor seat has been abandoned!! (I was really hoping auger would catch and he'd screw it stuck about 4 feet down!)
4. Dog wanders a couple feet by...

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I have mentioned this before, but I do know of an instance where an individual lost a leg when the auger picked up an old strand of barbed wire which in turn pulled him into the auger and injuring his leg severely. Speaking of dogs, when I was growing up in the early 50's, there were several three-legged dogs in the community; victims of the old sickle bar mowers.

 

[dragoneggs]

Situational awareness! Drives me crazy when I see family/friends doing 'routine' things without full attention. Too many times their expected results are less than they planned.

My wife gets frustrated at me because I don't listen to her immediately when she speaks. I tell her that I was in the middle of something and focused. She can't understand why I can't 'multitask'. I can't understand why she drops/spills knocks over things, breaks a glass, etc. None of it is a big deal but it is because she is not focused and is easily distracted or talking to someone else trying to multitask. She also doesn't appreciate me pointing this out... so let's keep this to ourselves. I guess I just hate making mistakes. Most goofs are harmless but enough goofs and one will bite hard or worse. My :2cents: