Accomplishments

Accomplishments

The Slow-Moving Vehicle Emblem

The need for an identification of slow-moving vehicles on public roadways originated with the NIFS safety specialists and was discussed at the 1964 summer meeting. Representatives of the Automotive Safety Foundation participated in the discussion and agreed to provide a research grant to study the problem. This was the first in-depth research project undertaken by NIFS. The Ohio State University Department of Food, Agricultural, and Biological Engineering was selected to carry out the research, which included a detailed study of how slow-moving vehicle accidents occur. The university also developed and field tested the SMV emblem prior to its national and international distribution and use. Farm safety specialists provided guidance for the study as did representatives from industry. NIFS was the first organization to endorse the SMV emblem nationwide.

Hand Signals

Hand signals for agricultural purposes were first given serious consideration at the Institute meetings in 1969. Following a panel discussion that included farm operators, Willsey of Indiana conducted a study on hand signals. Subsequently, a committee headed by NIFS member John Egging, a farm machinery dealer from Nebraska, developed 16 signals derived from water skiers, Army, Navy and other sources. Egging was well prepared for this responsibility through his service in the Army Signal Corps. One year later, at the meeting in Lincoln NE, the 16 signals were presented and discussed. The original list of 16 was eventually reduced to 11. After an extensive review, the hand signals were accepted by ASAE and are identified as ASAE Standard S351. The hand signals are also recognized by OSHA.

Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS)

In the later 1940s and early 1950s several states had some type of tractor overturn program in progress. Knapp at Cornell had developed a tractor with an outrigger device. Nebraska was the site of much of the early rollover testing and experimentation. Hurlbut and Larson at Nebraska put a rollover bar on a Cub Cadet. Later they put a protective frame on a John Deere B and used it for demonstrations and testing. This tractor was overturned more that 250 times in the next six or seven years. An Allis Chalmers WC provided by a farm implement company survived approximately 450 overturns and was finally retired to a museum. Schnieder, in the role of both safety educator and engineer, was involved in these early programs at Nebraska. In addition, Wardle from Iowa, Pfister from Michigan, Swanson from Wisconsin, Sexton from the Kansas Farm Bureau, Prickett from Minnesota, and Durland and Hofman from South Dakota all had programs related to tractor overturns during this early period.

In this development period, farm safety educators in many states, in conjunction with agricultural engineers, were conducting a wide variety of tractor-tipping demonstrations. These demonstrations helped to sell the idea of rollover protection and also demonstrated proper hitching procedures and safe operational practices. Demonstrations were conducted in classrooms with toy tractors on sandpaper inclines. Other tests in both indoor and outdoor settings were conducted with small demonstrator units modified from garden or lawn tractors or with children's large-scale toy tractors rigged with motors. Rollover demonstrations at fairs and field days were conducted before large audiences with full-scale tractors equipped with remote control devices. These contrived educational experiences were both innovative and timely and were a major factor in convincing tractor operators of the potential danger of their equipment.

Manufacturers followed slowly. Deere & Company announced their first roll bar in the spring of 1966, and International Harvester introduced roll bar in 1967. In 1969 J.I. Case announced that it had developed a protective cab. By 1970 all manufacturers had some form of roll bar for selected models. Rollover protection was adopted as part of the OSHA agricultural standards in 1976. Prior to 1985, manufacturers offered ROPS as an option on many of their tractors, but some allowed customers to deduct the ROPS from the cost of the tractor. By late 1985, however, major tractor manufacturers began to deliver their tractors to dealers with ROPS installed with no customer deduct option. In general, major tractor manufacturers now have retrofit ROPS kits available for all tractors built from the mid to late sixties through 1985.

Machinery Design

Positive changes in design of farm machinery and equipment can be attributed to many factors, including recognition of causes as well as a desire to reduce loss of life and limb. Although NIFS has played an active roll in some of these changes, it should be noted that the industry itself generally took steps to make sure that its products were as safe as they could be at any particular point in time. It should also be remembered that before the surge in the organized farm safety movement in the mid-1940s there was not what could clearly be identified as a public conscience related to farm deaths and injuries. Safety educators helped people become more aware of the fact that many of these deaths and injuries could be prevented through changes in their own behavior.

With this new public awareness, manufacturers also strove to develop, promote and sell a safer product in a competitive market. They developed safety departments and gave design engineers the challenge to develop a safer product. Industry cooperation on safety matters was manifested by an agreement to share design and manufacturing aspects of safety devices that previously had been protected by patents. Networking was also occurring among all those interested in farm safety through affiliation with NIFS, ASAE and FIEI. If any one event can be cited as influencing this cooperation, it would be the NIFS and FIEI,(now EMI), joint meeting to discuss tractor rollover and power takeoff accidents. This meeting signaled the beginning of a strong relationship and mutual respect between the two organizations. Safety educators in farm organizations, insurance companies, farm bureau and universities, through dialogue with industry representatives, experimentation and sharing, collectively and individually, did, and still do, indeed influence machinery design.

9 Return to History of NIFS

Accomplishments
	The Slow-Moving Vehicle Emblem
The need for an identification of slow-moving vehicles on public roadways originated with the NIFS safety specialists and was discussed at the 1964 summer meeting. Representatives of the Automotive Safety Foundation participated in the discussion and agreed to provide a research grant to study the problem. This was the first in-depth research project undertaken by NIFS. The Ohio State University Department of Food, Agricultural, and Biological Engineering was selected to carry out the research, which included a detailed study of how slow-moving vehicle accidents occur. The university also developed and field tested the SMV emblem prior to its national and international distribution and use. Farm safety specialists provided guidance for the study as did representatives from industry. NIFS was the first organization to endorse the SMV emblem nationwide.

	Hand Signals
Hand signals for agricultural purposes were first given serious consideration at the Institute meetings in 1969. Following a panel discussion that included farm operators, Willsey of Indiana conducted a study on hand signals. Subsequently, a committee headed by NIFS member John Egging, a farm machinery dealer from Nebraska, developed 16 signals derived from water skiers, Army, Navy and other sources. Egging was well prepared for this responsibility through his service in the Army Signal Corps. One year later, at the meeting in Lincoln NE, the 16 signals were presented and discussed. The original list of 16 was eventually reduced to 11. After an extensive review, the hand signals were accepted by ASAE and are identified as ASAE Standard S351. The hand signals are also recognized by OSHA.

	Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS)
In the later 1940s and early 1950s several states had some type of tractor overturn program in progress. Knapp at Cornell had developed a tractor with an outrigger device. Nebraska was the site of much of the early rollover testing and experimentation. Hurlbut and Larson at Nebraska put a rollover bar on a Cub Cadet. Later they put a protective frame on a John Deere B and used it for demonstrations and testing. This tractor was overturned more that 250 times in the next six or seven years. An Allis Chalmers WC provided by a farm implement company survived approximately 450 overturns and was finally retired to a museum. Schnieder, in the role of both safety educator and engineer, was involved in these early programs at Nebraska. In addition, Wardle from Iowa, Pfister from Michigan, Swanson from Wisconsin, Sexton from the Kansas Farm Bureau, Prickett from Minnesota, and Durland and Hofman from South Dakota all had programs related to tractor overturns during this early period. In this development period, farm safety educators in many states, in conjunction with agricultural engineers, were conducting a wide variety of tractor-tipping demonstrations. These demonstrations helped to sell the idea of rollover protection and also demonstrated proper hitching procedures and safe operational practices. Demonstrations were conducted in classrooms with toy tractors on sandpaper inclines. Other tests in both indoor and outdoor settings were conducted with small demonstrator units modified from garden or lawn tractors or with children's large-scale toy tractors rigged with motors. Rollover demonstrations at fairs and field days were conducted before large audiences with full-scale tractors equipped with remote control devices. These contrived educational experiences were both innovative and timely and were a major factor in convincing tractor operators of the potential danger of their equipment. Manufacturers followed slowly. Deere & Company announced their first roll bar in the spring of 1966, and International Harvester introduced roll bar in 1967. In 1969 J.I. Case announced that it had developed a protective cab. By 1970 all manufacturers had some form of roll bar for selected models. Rollover protection was adopted as part of the OSHA agricultural standards in 1976. Prior to 1985, manufacturers offered ROPS as an option on many of their tractors, but some allowed customers to deduct the ROPS from the cost of the tractor. By late 1985, however, major tractor manufacturers began to deliver their tractors to dealers with ROPS installed with no customer deduct option. In general, major tractor manufacturers now have retrofit ROPS kits available for all tractors built from the mid to late sixties through 1985.

	Machinery Design
Positive changes in design of farm machinery and equipment can be attributed to many factors, including recognition of causes as well as a desire to reduce loss of life and limb. Although NIFS has played an active roll in some of these changes, it should be noted that the industry itself generally took steps to make sure that its products were as safe as they could be at any particular point in time. It should also be remembered that before the surge in the organized farm safety movement in the mid-1940s there was not what could clearly be identified as a public conscience related to farm deaths and injuries. Safety educators helped people become more aware of the fact that many of these deaths and injuries could be prevented through changes in their own behavior. With this new public awareness, manufacturers also strove to develop, promote and sell a safer product in a competitive market. They developed safety departments and gave design engineers the challenge to develop a safer product. Industry cooperation on safety matters was manifested by an agreement to share design and manufacturing aspects of safety devices that previously had been protected by patents. Networking was also occurring among all those interested in farm safety through affiliation with NIFS, ASAE and FIEI. If any one event can be cited as influencing this cooperation, it would be the NIFS and FIEI,(now EMI), joint meeting to discuss tractor rollover and power takeoff accidents. This meeting signaled the beginning of a strong relationship and mutual respect between the two organizations. Safety educators in farm organizations, insurance companies, farm bureau and universities, through dialogue with industry representatives, experimentation and sharing, collectively and individually, did, and still do, indeed influence machinery design.
9 *Return to History of NIFS*