Which safety rules must I follow with the PTO and the three-point linkage when attaching an implement?
According to Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, the power take-off shaft guard must be protected by a guard fixed to the tractor or by an arrangement providing equivalent protection, and the input shaft on the machine side must be inside a guard housing fixed to the machine. When attaching an implement, stop the engine, apply the handbrake, take the key and do not go under the linkage.
The power take-off shaft is one of the most serious sources of injury in agriculture. The requirements of the Directive are clear: the PTO shaft on the tractor side must be covered by a fixed guard or by equivalent protection; the input shaft on the machine side must be inside a guard housing fixed to the machine. ROPS (roll-over protective structure) appears in the list of safety components in Annex V of the Directive and must not be removed.
Order of attaching an implement:
- Choose a level and firm place, apply the handbrake, put the gearbox in neutral.
- Use the fender switch or the remote control for alignment; keep the movement area in direct view.
- When inserting the pin, do not put your body between the lower links and the implement.
- When connecting the PTO shaft, stop the engine and take the key with you.
- Verify that the guard tube of the universal joint shaft is not rotating but is held fixed by the chain.
- Fit the locking pins and safety pins, adjust the draft links against sideways movement.
Loose and hanging clothing, an open jacket hem and a scarf must never be worn when working around the PTO.
The full topic: Converting a tractor hydraulic lever to electronic control