ACRE Safety Thought #08

Hitching up equipment to a tractor or a trailer to a truck are jobs sometimes conducted at ACRE. The driver must protect the individual helping with the connection. Visibility, slow controlled speed, and communication, either verbal or signaled, are critical. At the moment of connection the driver should have the device in park with a foot on the brake. Points to remember; Tongue hitches must always go to the drawbar, 3-point hitches should be with the correct category pins and locked in, and trailer hitches must have the correct size ball and coupler with two safety chains secured. Also remember that the pulling device must have the capacity to control and safely stop the pulled implement or trailer. If your project does any of this, then that job should be listed in your “Project Specific Safety Checklist.” Your employees must be trained to work safely when hitching equipment or trailers and driving them in the field or down the road. Plan, train, and work safely at the ACRE. Thanks. Jim