San Mateo County Farm Bureau

Be careful when working near a tractor's PTO

By Mike Kllmenko
Farm Bureau Group Manager

Do you know that a tractor's power take off, or PTO as it is commonly called, spins at a rate of 1,000 times a minute. That's 16 times a second. Toss a six-foot rope over a spinning PTO and it will wrap around the shaft in less than a second. Now imagine that rope is your shoelace or sleeve. How fast could you pull free?

PTOs provide a valuable function on today's farms and ranches, bringing a power source to remote areas where other power isn't available. But when PTOs are in operation, they pose a danger to anyone in the vicinity. The National Safety Council estimates that PTO's account for 6 percent of tractor-related fatalities on the farm. In seven out of 10 of those incidents the victim is the tractor operator. In the majority of cases, the protective shield was either missing or damaged. It is important to give the PTO the proper respect. There is a real danger for someone who has worked around PTOs for so long that he or she becomes too complacent, and for the inexperienced person who may inadvertently get too close to the spinning shaft.

Here are some precautions that can be taken to lessen the risk of entanglement, and they are certainly worth reviewing by anyone who works with or around a PTO.

Make sure all components of PTO systems shielded and guarded.
Regularly test driveline guards by spinning or rotating them to ensure they have not become stuck to the shaft.
Disengage the PTO and shut off the tractor before dismounting to clean, repair, service, or adjust machinery.
Walk around tractors and machinery rather than stepping over a rotating shaft.
Keep universal joints in phase. (Check the operator's manual for instructions.)
Always use the driveline recommended for your machine.
Position the tractor's drawbar for each machine used.
Reduce PTO shaft abuse by avoiding tight turns.
Do not wear loose fitting clothes or articles that might get caught in a turning PTO shaft. Watch out for loose shoestrings, they can get caught as well.

Remember that prevention is the best way to avoid accidents. Once an accident occurs, there is no reversing it--the damage has already been done. Be sure to practice safety at all times on the farm and instruct others to do the same.

Since 1943, Farm Bureau and State Fund have been business partners. When your policy comes up for renewal, if you are not insured with State Fund, please be sure to get a quote in our Farm Bureau Group Program.

(Mike Klimenko is Farm Bureau Group Manager for State Compensation Insurance Fund. He may be contacted at mnklimenko@scif.com)

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