Kubota Supports National Farm Safety and Health Week

Reader Contribution by Staff
Published on September 25, 2009

Many thanks to Kubota for their continued efforts to educate farmers about safety. One farming-related, preventable accident is too many — see below for more information from Kubota, including their “Ten Commandments of Tractor Safety.” 

Tractor Safety as Fundamental as a Parachute on a Plane

After a recent tractor rollover accident, a farmer likened not having a tractor rollover protection structure, or ROPS, to falling out of an airplane without a parachute – a safety precaution not often thought about until the plane is about to crash.  In this particular incident, when the tractor he was driving was rear-ended by a truck and rolled over, he was able to walk away with only minor injuries because his tractor was equipped with a ROPS and his seatbelt was fastened. This example – just one among many – confirms the belief that while tractor accidents are not predictable, following recommended safety precautions for operating equipment can go a long way toward reducing injuries or death.  

Agriculture has inherent dangers, with 28.7 deaths per 100,000 adult workers, according to the National Safety Council (NSC). As this year’s busy fall harvest season gets underway, Kubota is encouraging all tractor and equipment users to heed these statistics and renew their emphasis on safety in observance of the NSC’s National Farm Safety and Health Week, September 20-26, 2009. 

“For Kubota, safety is a year-round priority,” says Greg Embury, vice president of sales and marketing, Kubota Tractor Corporation. “The start of harvest season is a good time to remind everyone who operates tractors and heavy equipment – farmers, ranchers and their families – about tractor safety. A small amount of time committed to following safe equipment operation now can be your ‘parachute’ to help prevent serious injury or fatality due to an unfortunate accident in the future.” 

Make sure your tractor – old and new – has a fully operational Rollover Protective Structure or ROPS.The operation of a tractor equipped with ROPS and a fastened seatbelt, is considered to be highly effective in preventing serious injury and death due to tractor rollovers because the ROPS and fastened seatbelt provide a protective zone around the operator. According to the NSC, if all tractors were equipped with a ROPS and a safety belt, about 350 lives would be saved each year. 

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