ROPS Project

Why Apply?

ROPS are a simple, affordable way to improve safety on your farm!

Despite overwhelming evidence of the efficacy of ROPS in the prevention of death or serious injury in a tractor rollover event, North American farmers continue to cite several factors for not retrofitting older model tractors with ROPS:

  1. Cost of ROPS often exceeds the value of the tractor. The previous generation of agricultural equipment was built to last, with the lifespan of older tractors having far surpassed current safety advancements. The cost of purchasing a prefabricated ROPS can be around $750 – $2000 which is often more than the value of the tractor.
  2. Lack of hills on land where tractors are operated.
  3. Time it would take to retrofit tractor.
  4. Availability of a ROPS retrofit.
  5. Notion that experience is enough to avoid a rollover event.

ROPS in combination with seatbelts are 99% effective at reducing serious injury and fatalities from tractor rollovers. In Canada, the leading cause of farm-work related deaths is tractor rollovers which account for 25% of deaths. Approximately half of all tractors in use in Canada are still being operated without a ROPS.

  • Most effective way to prevent tractor overturn deaths (NIOSH, 2014)
  • “There is no acceptable excuse for the persistence of this problem as deaths from tractor rollovers are fully preventable” – Surgeon General’s Conference on Agricultural Health and Safety (1991)
  • One time effort that will protect the operator of the tractor for the lifetime of the machine
  • Approximate cost of an on farm-built ROPS is only $250 and about 8 hours of labour
  • ROPS will be inspected by engineers and certified to comply with OH & S Standards

 

 

How Ag ROPS Canada Works

Step 1: Do you have an older model tractor currently in use on your farm that does not have a rollover structure?

If the answer is YES! And you are interested in improving safety on your farm check out the options below.

Step 2: Look up your tractor make and model using the Ag ROPS Canada ROPS library. Depending on your tractor there may be different options available for ROPS.

  • Prefabricated ROPS – for some tractor models prefabricated ROPS may be available, if this is your preferred option use the information in the ROPS library to help you find a local manufacturer or dealer.

  • Build Your Own ROPS – for some tractor models blueprint drawings have been developed and are available through Ag ROPS Canada for farmers to build their own ROPS. If blueprints are available for your tractor model and you are interested in building your own ROPS check out the steps below to get started!

    • Step 3: Follow the steps below to build your own ROPS on the farm!

        1. Fill out the Ag ROPS Canada Application Form either or online or mail-in.
        2. Once we receive your application a username and password will be sent to you via email for you to access the ROPS blueprints for your tractor make and model.
        3. Build your ROPS according to the provided blueprint drawings and submit photos of your completed and installed ROPS.
        4. An Ag ROPS Canada engineer will review the photos and issue a certification sticker to indicate that the constructed ROPS meets Occupational Health and Safety Standards.

     

    PDF Loading...