Top 5 John Deere Equipment Safety Features

Times are changing for the better; there is an increased focus on rural and farm safety.  As equipment continues to grow in size, so do safety hazards. John Deere operator safety first when designing and introducing new safety features. However, many farmers and equipment operators may not be aware of the features available or how to use them. To avoid risks to the operator and those around them, here are 5 key safety features on your equipment:
 

Seatbelts and ROPS (Roll Over Protection System) 

All John Deere equipment - except for machines classified as ‘Lawn Tractors’ or ‘Lawn and Garden tractors’ - have a seatbelt and ROPS (external or built into the cab). This includes compact utility tractors, Gators, combines, sprayers and everything in between. A voluntary program to include ROPS was put in place in 1985, with the change to make the inclusion of ROPS mandatory effective in mid-2017. Many retro-fit packages are available for older equipment as well. The addition of ROPS and seatbelts has resulted in a significant reduction in roll-over related deaths.
 

Seat Sensor/Auto Shut Off

John Deere riding lawn or garden tractors are all equipped with an auto-shutoff feature. When weight is taken off the seat, the mower or power take off (PTO) will immediately turn off. Larger tractors can continue running the PTO when the equipment is in park and no one is in the cab, but combines will turn the header off once the seat sensor is triggered. The tractor will not turn on again until weight is back in the seat. 
 

PTO shield 

Agricultural implements, such as balers and air drills, have power take off (PTO) which connects the tractor to the implement to power it. These PTO’s can spin at 1000 rpm (or 16.6 revolutions a second) and are extremely dangerous. Guards or shields are in place to conceal the fast-moving shaft to prevent any contact. Wearing baggy or hanging clothing can increase the likelihood of injury as it may be easily snagged by the PTO which could result in injury or death.
 

Engagement Override Valve

John Deere implemented the engagement override valve in all 50 series and newer tractors in the early 1980s, which means the tractor will not move unless the clutch is cycled. The override valve prevents tractors that are left in gear from moving upon startup. Along with the engagement override valve, all John Deere equipment is equipped with a neutral start switch preventing equipment from starting while in gear.
 

Colour Coding

The colour-coded system present on all John Deere equipment from 1975 onward, indicates the related function of every switch, lever and other mechanisms. Red is associated with running the machine (key switch, shut off knob, throttle or speed control, and gear shift), black relates to the hydraulics, and yellow correlates with the PTO functions (PTO on/off, PTO speed, etc).