Tractors and Mobile Plant

Tractors and Mobile Plant safety

Tractors and their attachments are an essential part of dairy farming gear, but are still one of the major causes of fatalities and serious injury to all who live and work on farms. Operators, passengers, bystanders and children are all at risk.

Tractors of all sizes and ages are to be found on most dairy farms. As farms have become larger and handling of bulk materials has become necessary, specialist mobile machinery has become more common. 

This type of plant includes, for example, industrial front end loaders and telehandlers.

As an employer or person conducting a business on the farm, you have a legal responsibility to ensure that everyone is safe on and around tractors and mobile plant. 

Use the resources below to help prevent injury and ensure that you comply with this requirement. These include Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) templates for tractors and each type of mobile plant on your farm.

Work Health and Safety regulations require that you must assess and manage the risks to health and safety associated with use of any plant.

A good place to start is Step by step – Setting up for farm tractors, attachments and mobile plant safety on your farm

Resources

The Farm Safety Manual aims to make it straightforward for dairy farmers to build and improve a comprehensive farm safety system.

Further information
Safe use of tractors and attachments (WorkSafe Victoria)   PDF
Farmsafe guide on Tractors  site not available
Front end loaders and their attachments on tractors
(WA and NSW Workcover)
PDF
Post Drivers – Industry Safety Standards: a handbook for workplaces (WorkSafe Victoria) PDF
Plant supply, design and registration (Safe Work Australia) Website
Licensing and training to operate telehandlers (WorkSafe Victoria) Website