What is ROPS and does my tractor require it?

ROPS stands for Roll Over Protective Structure. With ROPS, the cab is designed to protect the operator in the event of a rollover or the tractor overturning. Under HSE legislation, all tractors manufactured after 1974 are required to have an approved ROPS fitted, a seatbelt is also an essential requirement. This training discusses both the importance of ROPS and seat belts in preventing serious injuries in the event of an accident.

Does the course cover driving on slopes with implements attached?

When tractors are operating with mounted implements, trailed equipment or front loaders, the weight distribution and stability are greatly affected. This course provides practical training to assess the way tractor and implement combinations will behave on different gradients and surface conditions. Delegates will also learn how to balance weight distribution to account for the additional equipment and loads.

Driving Tractors Safely on Slopes: LANTRA Training

Description

Wales and the South West are full of undulating, rolling hills and inclines. This LANTRA training is designed for experienced drivers who wish to learn how to safely drive and operate tractors and implements on slopes.

Accreditation LANTRA

Price from £265 + VAT per person, based on 4 people attending

Number of participants varies, depending on requirements

Course length 1 day

Location Training can be at your location, or our sites in Devon or Wales

LANTRA Tractor Driving on Slopes: Course information

Tractors can be dangerous without the right level of training or experience, driving tractors on slopes accounts for a large portion of accidents in farming and land-based sectors. Hush Farms training covers everything required to effectively and safely operate tractors and implements on slopes and difficult inclines.

Who is this course for?

This training is designed for experienced tractor drivers who are required to drive a tractor on sloping land. If you or your team are already competent at driving a tractor on normal land, this is intended to develop and expand your tractor driving knowledge and confidence.

Objectives

Understand the main causes of accidents involving tractors on slopes
Recognise the safe working slope for tractor implement combinations on typical ground surface conditions
Measure slopes in field conditions
Be able to assess the suitability of the ground before you drive over it
Prepare and perform the necessary maintenance to ensure the safety of a tractor on a slope
Perform adjustments to your tractor and machinery to increase its safety potential
Safely operate a tractor on sloping land with a variety of tractor implement combinations on typical ground surface conditions
Identify the onset of a potential “loss of control” situation

Course sessions

Accident causes
Experimental investigation
Maintenance
Practical preparation
Practical assessment of slopes
Reporting back
Driving on slopes
Warning signs
Additional factors

Driving on slopes course requirements

For on-site delivery, the following will be required:

A suitable sloping/hilly terrain with a range of gradients for practical training and assessments
A maximum of 2 students per tractor
Appropriate implements for using on slopes in practical exercises, please feel free to discuss this with the team when booking
A safe area away from the training slope for non-practical training

Trainees will need

A packed lunch
Non-snag clothing appropriate to the weather conditions.A minimum of long sleeves, long trousers, steel-toe cap boots and protective work gloves

Prices Shown Include:

LANTRA registration and certification. Travel fees are extra if we are visiting your location.

Please note: All trainees must be a minimum of 16 years old to participate in this training. Attendees should also be competent tractor operators before attending this course.

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The Legal Bit

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER 98) states that employers must ensure that anyone operating a tractor or equipment must be able to prove they have received adequate training from a qualified instructor. LANTRA training is accredited to comply with HSE standards.

About the Hush Farms Tractor Driving on Slopes Course

This training has been developed to address one of the most serious hazards in tractor operation, driving on slopes or inclined terrain. The hills of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset and Wales, while picturesque, are high-risk areas for tractor roll-overs, and HSE has identified driving on slopes as a focus area of safety improvement.

This course is hands-on, and attendees will practically learn how to measure slopes and gradients in the field, where the limits of a tractor's stability lie, with and without implements hitched and how to recognise these signals and recover the vehicle. Candidates will prepare tractors for slope work, considering tyre pressures, the integrity and maintenance of the machinery and equipment and safe driving skills on slopes.

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Reviews from attendees

“Hush Farms and Penny are BRILLIANT, so helpful and accommodating. From the initial email to the training itself, they make the whole process so easy. Our staff consistently feedback that they feel the training is engaging and tailored to be relevant to their everyday roles. Would certainly recommend them.”

— Emily, The Donkey Sanctuary

If you would like to find out more details, or arrange course dates with us, please click the button below to fill out an enquiry form.

COURSE ENQUIRY

Tractor Driving on Slopes Training: FAQs

Safe working on slopes depends on the tractor size, width, the implements mounted and the undulation and stability of the ground worked. Surface conditions, such as boggy ground, wet grass or loose soil can significantly affect the stability of tractor operations, even when gradients are slight. This training teaches delegates how to identify these factors and make sound operational decisions before the situation becomes unsafe.