Marylee
Hill
New York
Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health
Farmers
must make sure that they display the Slow Moving Vehicle emblem
on the rear of any piece of machinery traveling on a public
road. A 1970 OSHA law requires it. The law applies to agricultural
and industrial vehicles that are required under the circumstances
to travel 25 miles per hour or less. New York State has adopted
the SMV emblem as part of its Motor Vehicle law.
Studies
have revealed that an effective slow moving vehicle emblem
can prevent highway accidents. The SMVs are visible to other
motorists nearly 300 feet sooner than a red flag when placed
on the rear of slow moving farm equipment.
Avoid
using SMVs for purposes other than described. If such emblems
are used as driveway markers or as stationary reflectors,
it will confuse the motorist about the true meaning of a slow
moving vehicle emblem.
The
fluorescent orange triangular center of the emblem makes it
highly visible, even in the fading late afternoon and evening
light when the chance of an accident is greatest.
At night,
vehicle headlights make the reflective red border become a
hollow red triangle which makes the slow moving vehicle more
visible.
In fact,
this emblem serves as an early warning signal to drivers,
allowing them time to reduce their speed and avoid the possibility
of a rear-end collision.
Farmers
must make sure that they have SMV emblems properly placed
on all farm equipment that use public roads. They should be
positioned near the middle of the machine, two to six feet
above the ground with the point at the top. It is also important
that these emblems be updated periodically since faded emblems
are less likely to be visible. Under normal conditions, an
emblem can be expected to last 2 to 3 years. Low-quality emblems
tend to fade more rapidly, so it is best to purchase emblems
that are stamped with an American Society of Agricultural
Engineers (ASAE) certification number S276.3
If you
haven't inspected the SMV emblems on your equipment lately,
it's time you do!
Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not
represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears
by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 04/2002
Marylee
Hill, Agricultural Injury and Illness Surveillance Nurse,
NYCAMH.
This public service announcement was produced by the New York
Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH), One
Atwell Road, Cooperstown, New York 13326 - Ph# (607) 547-6023
or (800) 343-7527 in the northeast. Publication date: 1994.
|