PTO drivelines are powerful and dangerous
BLACKSBURG, Va., Feb. 20, 2009 – Every fall, Bobby Grisso, Virginia Cooperative Extension engineer at Virginia Tech, makes special efforts to provide Virginians with safety information. “Fall season gives us the opportunity to reinforce safety messages that are important all year,” he said.
Power-takeoff (PTO) drivelines for a tractor are one of the most productive tools on the farm, but when safety rules are ignored, the area occupied by the PTO driveline can be one of the most hazardous places on the farm.
Most PTO mishaps and injuries occur when a person’s clothing or hair becomes entangled with a part of the PTO system as it is spinning. Protruding components (locking pins, bolts, cotter pins, grease fittings, universal joints, etc.) readily hook and grab loose or dangling clothes or hair, especially if shields are damaged or missing. Bootlaces, pant legs, cuffs on sleeves of coats or shirts, drawstrings jackets, and scarves all can become entangled easily. A PTO driveline can wrap up 424 feet of shoelace in 1 minute at 540 rpm or 785 feet of shoelace at 1,000 rpm.
Once clothing or hair is caught, the PTO’s rotation speed combined with the power exerted by the tractor makes escape unlikely and injury almost certain, he said.
PTO incidents can occur when the tractor is moving or stationary. Under normal conditions, the PTO should always be disengaged and the tractor engine shut off before the operator dismounts. However, with some PTO-driven machines (such as augers and silage blowers), there are cases where the job requires that the PTO be engaged when the tractor is stationary. But the tractor should be shut-off before any work around the driveline is conducted.
In these situations, the physical and mental condition of the operator is critical. That’s why a person’s attitude and behavior concerning the safe operation of the equipment are important in preventing injury. An operator should always be on high alert anytime a PTO unit is engaged. Here are some precautions to take:
- Make sure all shields are in place and in good working order. Ensure that PTO drivelines are fully shielded.
- Do not step over an engaged, rotating PTO driveline, no matter how slow it may be turning.
- Do not attempt to operate tractor controls from the rear of the tractor.
- Do not wear loose, baggy clothing around PTO drivelines.
- Keep long hair tied up in order to avoid entanglement.
- Stay well clear of rotating PTO drivelines. Treat them as danger zones.
Contact: Robert Grisso
Virginia Cooperative Extension Engineer
Virginia Tech
(540) 231-6538
rgrisso@vt.edu
Contact: Michael Sutphin
Writer
Communications and Marketing
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Virginia Tech
(540) 231-6975
msutphin@vt.edu
Writer: Susan Suddarth
Student Intern
Communications and Marketing
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Virginia Tech