Rolling maintenance schedules are part of keeping your equipment running smoothly on the farm. Perhaps you grease your tractors every Friday afternoon, or check your fluids before each use. Maybe you keep a formal checklist of maintenance, or maybe it’s a verbal confirmation with other staff members. There are many points to touch on when it comes to maintaining your equipment, and safety features on the equipment should be included as well. This can be fairly simple to include, considering you’re working around the machine anyway!
Farm machinery has been developed over the years to be safer for the operator and for those around them. Consider adding this brief safety checklist into your maintenance schedule:
| Safety Feature | Passes | Needs Attention | Comments/Initial |
| SMV Emblem: Attached and visible | |||
| Safety Stickers/Signs: Visible and in good condition | |||
| Lights: All functioning | |||
| Handrails, Steps, Platform: Clean, non-slip, good condition | |||
| Horn: In working condition | |||
| Seatbelt: Functioning, no signs of frays, properly adjusted | |||
| Fire Extinguisher: Charged, easily accessible | |||
| Brakes: Properly adjusted, able to lock together, no garbage or debris around pedal | |||
| PTO Shields: In place, no damage, clean | |||
| Other: |
Remember, Safety is everyone’s responsibility. Each farm is different, and you may need to add or subtract from this list to suit your farm. In any case, treating safety features just as you would mechanical features when it comes to maintenance is a practice that will help your safety program run as smoothly as a well-oiled machine.
If you’d like the above checklist as a printable document for your farm, download it here:
