Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
• Shut off the engine.
• Apply the parking brake.
• Put the transmission in neutral.
• Remove the key if the tractor will be unattended.
Dress safely. Loose clothing and long hair can be caught on moving parts.
Stay clear of all rotating PTO implements and be sure other people and animals are
clear of them too.
Never attempt to service your tractor or implements with them running.
Keep brake pedals latched together at all times.
Know the terrain you will be driving on. Walk unfamiliar terrain to identify ditches,
large rocks, debris, or bogs.
A tractor is a workhorse, not a racehorse. Drive at safe speeds; reduce speed before
turning to prevent overturning.
When driving in hilly terrain, keep tractor in gear—never coast downhill, and never
depress clutch while going uphill or downhill. Drive straight down all slopes, never
diagonally. If you must turn on a slope, turn downhill. When you must drive up a
slope, consider backing up for added safety.
Always carry the front-end loader as low to the ground as possible, and try to center
materials in the bucket.
When driving your tractor on a public highway, if legal, use flashing amber warning
(hazard) lights and a slow-moving vehicle (SMV) identification emblem. (Note that
in some areas, use of hazard lights when driving is illegal.)
Hitch only to the drawbar or three-point hitch when pulling a load. There is no place
on the rear of a tractor that is safer or more effective for pulling than the drawbar.
Hitching to the axle housing, seat base, or top link of the three-point hitch reduces
the pulling capacity of the tractor and increases the chance of the tractor rotating
over the rear axle and flipping over backward. Be sure no loose chains, ropes, or
cables are dangling or dragging from either the tractor or an implement. They can
catch under a wheel or on a stump or rock and cause a serious or fatal accident.
