OECD AGR/CA/T(2005)37 Safety belts on agricultural and forestry tractors

In the EU, Directive 89/655/EEC, modified by Directive 95/63/EEC, lays down the minimum safety and health requirements for the use of work equipment by workers at work. Article 1.1. (c) of 95/63/EEC establishes that "...specific work equipment subject to the requirements of point 3 of Annex I, which, if already provided to workers in the undertaking and/or establishment by 5 December 1998, complies with the minimum requirements laid down in Annex I, no later than four years after that date." Annex I specifies the following: point 3 "Additional minimum requirements applicable to specific types of work equipment" and point 3.1.4. "Mobile work equipment with ride-on workers must be designed to restrict, under actual conditions of use, the risks arising from work equipment rollover: either by a protection structure to ensure that the equipment doesonot tilt by more than a quarter turn, or a structure giving sufficient clearance around the ride-on workers if the tilting movement can continue beyond a quarter turn, or by some other device of equivalent effect. These protection structures may be an integral part of the work equipment. They are not required when the work equipment is stabilised during operation or where the design makes roll over impossible. Where there is a risk of a ride-on worker being crushed between parts of the work equipment and the ground, should the equipment roll over, a restraining system for the ride-on worker must be installed. As a consequence, some EU countries are making it compulsory for tractors sold before 5 December 1998, to apply- in addition to the existing protective structure - a "restraining member" (normally a safety belt), without indicating the standards to be applied for the anchorages and safety belts.