Kubota Issues Call to Action for Safe Tractor Operation and Roll-over Protection

April 25, 2008
While focusing on tractor and equipment safety is a year-round priority, Kubota Tractor Corp. is tapping into the National Safety Council’s annual celebration of National Safety Month in June to bring added attention to tractor and equipment safety. This year marks the 12th anniversary of National Safety Month, whose theme is “Make A Difference.”

While focusing on tractor and equipment safety is a year-round priority, Kubota Tractor Corp. is tapping into the National Safety Council’s annual celebration of National Safety Month in June to bring added attention to tractor and equipment safety. This year marks the 12th anniversary of National Safety Month, whose theme is “Make A Difference.”

“National Safety Month is a great calendar trigger to put safety first in people’s minds as they use tractors, lawn and garden equipment, construction and utility vehicles,” said Greg Embury, vice president of sales and marketing at Kubota. “This year’s National Safety Council theme mirrors Kubota’s mission to focus on tractor operation safety to make a difference and prevent accidental injuries.”

The NSC has designated each of the four weeks in June with a specific safety focus:
· June 2-6: Emergency preparedness
· June 9-13: Reducing distracted driving
· June 16-20: Poisoning prevention
· June 23-27: Falls prevention

Though safety is something that can be practiced year round, Kubota’s call to action is advising families and businesses to take time this month to review safety information for tractor, mower and utility vehicle safety. A small time-commitment now could prevent an accident or fatality in the future, the company says.

This also is a good time to check to be sure that older tractors and equipment have a Rollover Protection Structure (ROPS) and seatbelt to provide a protective zone around the operator if a rollover should occur. Kubota has provided ROPS as standard equipment since 1985 — even before federal law required manufacturers to include ROPS on new tractors. Owners of early Kubota models can have a ROPS and safety belt retrofit to their tractors by contacting their local Kubota dealers.

“We strongly recommend the use of a ROPS and a seatbelt to create a safety zone that may reduce chances of serious injury in the case of a rollover accident,” Embury said.

To date, Kubota dealers throughout the country have installed more than 10,000 retrofits. According to the NSC, if all tractors were equipped with a ROPS and a seatbelt, about 350 lives would be saved each year.

Additional safety information, including the “Ten Commandments of Tractor Safety” and a tractor-safety coloring book, can be found at the Kubota website, www.kubota.com.

Headquartered in Torrance, Calif., Kubota Tractor Corp., is the U.S. marketer and distributor of Kubota-branded equipment, including a complete line of tractors, performance-matched implements, compact and utility-class construction equipment, consumer lawn and garden equipment, commercial turf products, and utility vehicles.