Squirrels Ruminations

Puller Safety - Updated 26th June, 2008

The thoughts and opinions expressed on this page are purely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the web site.

Ever since I started commentating at Pulling events I've walked round muttering darkly about the HSE! Well, finally the worst has happened and the sport in the UK has suffered it's first fatality. I have no intention of dwelling on the subject or going into the why's and wherefore's but suffice it to say Tractor Pulling will now be well and truly in the spotlight where Health and Safety is concerned.

The HSE have met with the majority of UK Sledge Owners and Operators in early February 2008 to discuss Safety and explain which legislation currently covers the operation of the Sledges. Details of the meeting can be found on this web site here. As a sport Tractor Pulling sits between two camps. The Sledge is regarded as an agricultural 'Trailed Appliance' whilst the track comes under Motor Sport rules. Confused? Yes, so am I...

As far as 'Independent' Pulling is concerned the safety requirement for the Puller have always been a matter for the event organisers or the Sledge Operator and these can vary from event to event. On the other hand BTPA, SWTPA and PPA events have always run under the same set of rules which are based on the ETPC Rule Book, in other words they have always worked to the same set of standards. Now we come to a fundamental difference between the two camps. BTPA/SWTPA/PPA events are competitive whilst the 'Independent' pulls are for 'demonstration' only, in other words noncompetitive.

The few 'Independents' who use highly developed engines running a high revolutions already have all-steel flywheels, custom steel clutch assemblies, engine and turbo shielding, etc. I am ruminating on the vast majority...

'Independent' Pullers are by and large much less powerful and run at lower engine revs therefore are under much less stress and much less likely to go bang. Many of the more 'exotic' safety precautions in the ETPC Rule Book would be totally wasted on these Tractors and the cost of implementing them would be pretty prohibitive for 'demonstration' pulling. I should qualify the term 'exotic' in relationship to a Puller with a Ford straight-6 truck engine producing 120 - 220 bhp running at below 3,000 rpm. Does it really need engine and turbo shielding for purely demonstration Pulling (e.g. noncompetitive)? I really don't think so...

However there are some far more basic safety measures which in my mind are affordable, cover fundamental driver safety and should be implemented across the board. Namely: -

Roll Bar, Roll Cage or Safety Cab
Drivers Seat Belt
'Wheelie Bars'
Kill Flap or Kill Switch
Cross-bolts on the Exhaust Pipe (if the engine is turbo charged)
Crash Helmet (essential if you're strapped into the seat)

Many of the 'Independent' Pullers already comply with most if not all of these basics, however there are some exceptions out there.

As part of her presentation to the Sledge owners and operators Liz Evans sited the example of a Mini Puller which went out of control and rolled at Great Eccleston in 2007. She was able to demonstrate that thanks to the safety measure implemented on the Puller no one was injured apart from the drivers pride. The safety precautions did their job and a potential disaster became simply a dramatic moment.

At Wraxall (Bristol) at the beginning on May this year another Mini Puller suffered a major malfunction. The V8 Chevy powered ‘Panic’ driven by Jamie Haylock lost its entire rear end, including hitch and battery. Having broken free of the restrain imposed by the Sledge it should have shot off down the track at great speed, possibly careering into the crowd, but because of the safety measures implemented on the Puller, this did not happen. As soon as the breakaway occurred the Kill system operated and the Puller trickled to a stop 15 to 20-metres in front of the Sledge.

Simply another example of common sense safety measures doing their job and averting a potential disaster for the sport of Tractor Pulling.

Please bear in mind that if there is an accident involving a Puller that results in an injury the HSE will have to investigate. If the injury could have been prevented by applying known safety measures (e.g. those in the ETPC Rule Book, which is the only set of rules the HSE have seen and as such are regarded as 'best practice'), then not only will the Sledge owners/operators be in trouble but so will the event organiser(s). Take for example a Steam or Vintage Fair, this would include the Section Organiser/Leader as well as the event Committee. Something tells me Tractor Pulling would not appear on the list of attractions the following year...

The question is how can these safety fundamentals be made mandatory? With (currently) no overall national body to administer the 'Independent' Pullers it would once again be left to the event organisers or Sledge Operators to impose these basic safety requirement, unless the Pullers decide amongst themselves that they will apply them unilaterally! Hopefully before the new Pulling season gets much older these issues will have been resolved and we can all look forward to a safe and enjoyable summer. Fingers crossed that we don't end up with another monsoon during July...