Power Take-off Entanglement

Date of Issue: September 1995

Hazard Summary

While completing a fuel oil delivery at a residence, the vehicle operator positioned himself under the truck, adjacent to an operating power take-off. The operator was fatally injured when his clothing became entangled in the unguarded rotating power take-off shaft.

As a result of the accident, the N.S. Department of Labour, fuel delivery firms, and companies that service the delivery vehicles worked together to find a solution that would prevent a similar accident from happening. A number of guards, designed to prevent contact with the rotating shaft, were developed and tested. Several alternatives were found satisfactory from the perspective of costs and operations.

Preventive Measures

• All vehicles shall be retrofitted with guarding or other protective devices by October 31, 1995.
• All employers and employees must be educated as to the hazards associated with power take-offs.
• Future purchase of vehicles from manufacturers should include specifications for guards or protective devices.