“Air-Rops Is the only effective solution to reduce the siniestralidad by dump of tractor”

Every year the dump of tractor trucks ocasiona numerous accidents, and many of them saldan with the death of the tractorista. The solution could be Air-Rops, a structure compressesed of protection in shape of arch that, as it explains his inventor, the boss of the unit of prevention of the Institute of Public Health of Navarra, Carmelo Pérez of Larraya, expands automatically if the tractor dumps.

The number of real accidents —with results of death or injured grave— is very upper to the that offers of official way. Taking like base the year 2004 (UPNA-2005), the reality is that the number of dead persons and injured annual only by dump of tractor is rising. The year 2012 saldó with 110 vuelcos (with 90 died and 20 injured grave) and 2013, with 110 vuelcos (with 93 died and 17 injured grave). These data are taken out of the media, that at last already have darse# cuenta and do echo of these accidents and of the enormous risk that suppose the tractors in Spain.

A considerable number of agricultural tractors, narrow and/or articulated or conventional in operation lacks a structure of active protection and, because of the multiple situations of risk of dump that they produce along the year and his big ease of dump, are cause of deaths and wounds of gravity.

According to the Analysis of the National Park of Agricultural Tractors realizar in 2006 by the ancient Ministry of Environingingment and Half Rural and Marino (at present Ministry of Agriculture, Feeding and Environingingment), the number of tractors commercialised prior to 1978 was closely of 200.000 tractors. Like this, already they had more than 20 years and all without the suitable protection, with systems of braked and signaling in bad state and with deficient levels of ergonomics in the places of driving. Practically all these tractors carecían and lack structure of protection or only have of cabin of salvaguarda of intemperie.

There are narrow tractors that carry some protections antivuelco recognised, the arches abatibles, that serve to fulfil the valid legislation. However, once that the agriculturalist has knocked them down by the needs of the crops, arbolados or greenhouses, no longer goes back them to raise, with the consequent desprotección. And there is more.

In a lot of cases, these tractors belong to autonomous agriculturalists, jubilados, agriculturalists part time or sporadic users, by what does not affect them the Royal decree 1215/1997, of 18 July, in which they establish the minimum disposals of hygiene and health for the workers in the utilisation of the equipment of work, neither the Order of 8 April 1991 with the complementary technical instruction of the regulation of hygiene in machines, for being this a labour rule that establishes obligations in front of third, only applicable to the workers by extraneous account. Like this, the users of greater risk —well by his age or by fault of learning— are those that suffer the consequences of the fault of requirement of systems of protection antivuelco.

Is a structure of protection in shape of arch that goes compressesed and that during the dump expands automatically, producing simultaneously the elevation by elongación of the columns and the expansion in width of the lintel, when reaching the vehicle an inclination from among 50 and 55º.

That his expansion comes forced by the situation of dump irreversible of the vehicle in which it goes mounted, without the intervention of the driver.

The idea validated in the Public University of Navarra (UPNA - Campus of Tudela), favoured by the then Institute Navarro of Labour Health (INSL) and today Institute of Public and Labour Health of Navarra. The development Is carrying it out Air-Rops, owner of the international patent.

Still is in phase of development, but will be able to join up in all the self-propelled machines, like tractors of all type and size, dumpers, lawnmowers, autocarros or quads, and any another machine automotriz. It take into account that up to now we are developing and testing structures for machines from 500 until 5.000 kilos, and can do structures even for machines of public works without limit of weight.

In the moment that was in the market, with the manual of instructions attach will be able to install it any workshop that precie, always respecting the established by the manufacturer. Logically, if it treats of tractors of more than 600 kilos in the points where the homologation contemplate them. At present, we are receiving a lot of requests of users of tractors that work in plantations of frutales, arboledas and greenhouses. It is hard to say them that it still is in phase of development.

It is necessary to take into account that the greater manufacturers of self-propelled machinery of the sector are of out of Spain, of countries like Germany or Italy. This last, with his command in the manufacture of the small tractor, to the already have of some seudo solutions for the vuelcos, do not want that anybody improve them his manufactured. In front of the innovation that supposes, logically all the groups of work like the OCDE and of the CEE, want to know the system and ensure of his operation before admitting it, and develop and issue the corresponding codes of essay for his application in tractors. The manufacturers of machines prefer to expect to that the groups of work decide and act.

There is a big percentage of agriculturalists, especially the “youngsters” (minors of 50 years), that is concienciado of the latent risk of dump of the distinct machines. Instead, there is another big group of agriculturalists (almost all they autonomous) that believes to dominate the situation, since to date it has not happened them at all.

The Administration in Spain accommodates without any effort to the commanded of Brussels, since they say us and repeat until no more is needed nor desired that depend completely of the decisions that take there. The truth that throw in fault more will to do a front to the outside to promote and activate this innovation, that, for being Spanish, is not less effective.

My sincere opinion is that the norms do not have to prevent, neither put fetters in front of attainments and technical solutions showed. It would leave in the hands of the manufacturers and employers, the responsibilities of prevention of his machines in front of the users of the same. Besides, it would impose the protection antivuelco of all the park of machinery without taking into account the diet of membership to the social hygiene.

Until the OCDE and the CEE pronounce do not contemplate a recognition and change in the manufacturers.

As I already have said is creating a big expectation and no only in Spain: we have received queries of England, Turkey, EE UU and countries so far for us like Australia and New Zealand, where concerns them in concrete the big siniestralidad of the quads.

Is the only effective solution for a big park of tractors and machines, quads included.