Semi-quantitative Risk Assessment Framework for Tractor Rollover Prevention Systems Based on the Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM)

Overturning is one of the main causes of fatal accidents in agriculture. Farming activities that are affected the most by this type of hazard often involve trailers, balers, and sprayers: a tractor and any kind of towed equipment. This is a well-known issue, described by a great number of accident reports. But despite efforts in accident prevention the occurrence is still high and most of the assessments focus on addressing responsibilities and reconstruct the accidents by cause-effect relations. Accidents, in reality, are never the same because actually the working environment, social constraints, deadlines and seasonality play a major role in accident dynamics and therefore should be tracked by any safety assessment in agriculture as safety conditions gradually degrade with time or even in a matter of a single activity. The analysis of safety conditions through new methodologies and the realization of possible work scenarios are the objectives of this work.