![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090122125909im_/http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/images/line.jpg)
Dennis
J. Murphy and Sam Steel
Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension
The
idea of carrying extra riders on farm equipment is controversial.
There are safety risks. Even so, the practice is common and
deeply embedded within farming's heritage. Recently, farm
equipment manufacturers have begun installing passenger seats
on some farm machinery; most notably tractors and self-propelled
machines like combines and forage harvesters. Providing a
passenger seat on farm machinery responds to farmers who choose
not to follow the recommended safety practice of permitting
n one but the operator on the machine. This fact sheet examines
the extra rider issue.
Table
1. Pennsylvania extra rider fatalities by age groups.
(1983-1993) |
Age
of Victim |
Number
of Fatalities |
Male/Female
Ratio |
0-4
years |
5 |
4/1 |
5-9
years |
8 |
7/1 |
10-14
years |
4 |
4/0 |
15+
years |
3 |
3/0 |
TOTAL |
20 |
18/2 |
The majority
of extra rider victims in Pennsylvania are young children. This
is one reason why a discussion of this topic is often emotionally
charged. In Pennsylvania between 1983 and 1993, there were 20
extra rider fatalities--17 involving children 14 years of age
and under, with the youngest victim just one year old. Children
between five and nine were the age group with the highest number
of fatal injuries. In this age group are children who are: developing
their motor skills; curious about operating machinery; and desire
to be with adults. At this age, many parents feel that their
child is now old enough to help with certain chores, and to
ride on and/or operate farm equipment. Table 1 illustrates that
young boys represent the majority of victims in extra rider
injury incidents in Pennsylvania.
In recent
years, researchers have documented the frequency of young
extra riders on farm machinery. For example, in 1989 Successful
Farming magazine surveyed randomly selected farm parents with
children 15 years of age or younger. Ninety-five percent of
the respondents indicated that their children were riding
tractors by ages 7-9, and that parents generally considered
this a low risk activity. This survey documents what is easily
observed and informally discussed when farm families meet
and child safety is discussed. Photos in magazines and newspapers,
which reflect intimate moments of farm life, often portray
an idyllic scenario of father and son forming the bonds that
keep America's esteemed agrarian traditions alive. Conversations
among farm reared adults are often peppered with boasts of
how young they were when they first began riding on or operating
farm tractors and other machinery. It is easy to imagine that
every adult farmer has been an extra rider on a tractor or
other machine during his or her arming career.
Incidences
of riding extra on a tractor or other farm machinery may occur
a dozen times during a typical work day or week and become
as routine as daily livestock chores. Riding extra on a tractor
or other farm equipment may not result in an injurious or
unwanted event. In fact, just the opposite normally occurs:
work is completed more quickly or conveniently; needed transportation
is provided; job training is accomplished; or a babysitting
problem is resolved. Thus, riding extra may be practiced at
a young age, become deeply ingrained, and be passed on from
generation to generation.
There
is no simple answer on whether a passenger seat is a less
risky alternative for extra riders. Currently, U.S. manufacturers
add a passenger seat on some tractors, combines and forage
harvesters with enclosed cabs only. Tractors have ROPS (Rollover
Protective Structure) with seatbelts. Self-propelled machines
have cabs without ROPS. The following discussion incorporates
information from an agricultural safety and health task force
who discussed the pros and cons of a passenger seat on tractors with ROPS cabs. This information is presented to inform
and also to encourage public debate on this issue. Though
the information refers to tractors, much of the discussion
is also pertinent to combines and other self-propelled farm
machinery.
As noted
earlier, the reasons for carrying extra riders are numerous
and deeply embedded within the culture of farming. Among the
reasons identified by agricultural safety professionals are
that it:
- enhances
the training of tractor operators
- improves
the demonstration of tractors for sale
- transports
workers to worksites
- assists
operations requiring extra help
- facilitates
communications between workers
- strengthens
interpersonal relationships
- supports
a desired work ethic among farmers
- represents
one method of parenting
- provides
for an assistant in emergency situations
Not
everyone agrees that these are sufficient reasons. Since most
tractor operators have reasons for carrying or being an extra
rider, an extra seat can be said to increase passenger safety
for several reasons, including:
- reducing
interference with the operator
- lowering
passenger injury potential in an accident
- lowering
level of passenger fatigue
- reducing
need for passenger to concentrate on holding on
- providing
a safer alternative than other passenger locations
- encouraging
the use of tractors with ROPS cabs
Additionally,
it is arguable that a passenger seat: is possible because
tractors in Europe have had them for many years without known
adverse consequences; and is consistent with safety engineering
principles. For example, provision of a passenger seat is
compatible with the human factors engineering principle of
adapting the working environment to accommodate the worker,
rather than changing the work practices of the worker. And
a passenger seat is consistent with the safety hierarchy for
addressing risks. The safety hierarchy suggests that it is
more effective to provide safety engineering solutions (a
passenger seat with seat belt inside of a ROPS cab) for risks
rather than rely upon safety warnings or instruction (e.g.
No Extra Riders!).
While
there are good reasons for providing a passenger seat with
seatbelt, there are also compelling reasons why this is less
than desirable. Major concerns include overuse of a passenger
seat and increased opportunity for injury. Concerns are that
a passenger seat will:
- encourage
the babysitting of children on farm equipment
- increase
riders' exposure to noise, vibration, dust, and chemicals
- increase
the risk of being thrown out of a cab when the seat belt
is not used or when a cab door or window is missing or open
- interfere
with the operator's vision and movement of control levers
- become
a source of distraction to the operator
- enhance
the potential for a passenger to contact control levers
- increase
the risk for an multiple injury incident
A fundamental
safety principle is that any engineering change should not
increase a person's risk of injury. Several of the concerns
above can result in an increased exposure to hazards and possible
injury to a passenger and/or operator. Additionally, a passenger
seat may encourage two-person operations of farm machinery
and increase risk-taking during machinery malfunctions, adjustments
or servicing.
Miscommunication
between an operator and passenger could also have a tragic
ending.
Another
problem is the lack of existing standards to guide the development,
installation and use of passenger seats. An accepted passenger
seat safety standard may be years away--if one is ever approved--because
of the issues surrounding the idea. A safety standard helps
to develop consensus on important design features. For example,
should passenger seats be: designed ergonomically for long-term
riders; designed to discourage long-term riding; engineered
for equal "zones of protection" for ri ers and operators;
designed for all populations or more specifically for children
because they are the primary extra riders? The answers to
these questions are important to: the costs associated with
redesigning farm machinery; work safety recommendations; and
liability issues for manufacturers, employers and workers.
There
are many ways to reduce the need to carry an extra rider.
Advanced planning of work tasks, using safety management techniques
to reduce hazards, alternative forms of transportation, and
changing job assignments are some ways to reduce the need
to carry an extra rider. Nevertheless, the practice of riding
extra is likely to continue.
Riding as a passenger does involve risk for a permanent or
fatal injury, but the same can be said about office work,
recreational activities, or even taking a shower. Some risk
is always present in nearly all daily activities. To avoid
injury is to minimize the chances that an unwanted incident
will occur, or if it does, how to minimize its most serious
consequences. For example, on tractors without trailing equipment,
risk is lowered by riding at the rear of the tractor rather
than on the rear wheel fender or rear axle. This reduces, but
does not eliminate, the chance of being thrown under the tractor's
wheels.
The
rest of this section addresses how to minimize the hazard
and risk of carrying or being an extra rider.
Most
training can be conducted with the instructor on the ground
and the trainee in the operator's station. The trainee should
first be taught how to safely start and turn off the machine,
engage and disengage the clutch, and locate the primary controls
such as the brakes, PTO and hydraulics. Training should then
be done at a slow, carefully controlled speed while on level,
solid ground. Other equipment or machinery should not be attached
and the training session should be:
- away
from vehicular traffic
- when
the weather is clear and calm
- at
a safe distance from other bystanders
- when
both the instructor and trainee know agricultural hand signals
These
conditions allow a training instructor to walk safely beside
or behind a moving machine and to use hand signals to communicate
with the trainee. Suggestions for starting and stopping farm
machinery safely, and on agricultural hand signals, are available
from a variety of sources, including operator's manuals, extension
bulletins and other training resources. Contact your equipment
dealer or county extension agent to obtain these materials.
It is also crucial that instructors use good instructional
methods during training.
The
idea that an extra rider on farm machinery can be carried
safely is controversial. It is a highly emotional issue, especially
when focusing on children and their safety. Some of the underlying
factors are: developmentally appropriate farm work tasks for
children; parenting and babysitting options for farm families;
the economic necessity of child labor; and agricultural heritage
and farming lifestyles. Each of these topics can generate
controversy among farm families, safety and health professionals,
government regulators and the public. Less debatable is a
need to reduce injuries to all persons living, working and
visiting on farms. Following the safety practice of not allowing
an extra rider is one way to achieve this goal.
- "We
Kill Too Many Farm Kids." Successful Farming. February,
1989.
- Silletto,
T. A and D. O. Hull. 1988. Safe Operation of Agricultural
Equipment: Student Manual. St. Paul, MN: Hobar Publications.
- Johnson,
S. R. and D. J. Murphy. Agricultural Hand Signals. E-19.
Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Penn State University,
University Park, PA.
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090122125909im_/http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/images/line.jpg)
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
Dennis
J. Murphy, Professor, Agricultural Engineering; Sam Steel, Sr.
Research Technologist, Agricultural Engineering
Agricultural
and Biological Engineering Extension
246 Agricultural Engineering Building
Penn State University
University Park, PA 16802
Telephone: 814-865-7685
FAX 814-863-1031
|