Mechatronic Solutions for the Safety of Workers Involved in the Use of Manure Spreader

Massimo Cecchini, Danilo Monarca, Vincenzo Laurendi, Daniele Puri and Filippo Cossio
Additional contact information
Massimo Cecchini: Department of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterb, Italy
Danilo Monarca: Department of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterb, Italy
Vincenzo Laurendi: National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL), Via di Fontana Candida, 1, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, Italy
Daniele Puri: National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL), Via di Fontana Candida, 1, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, Italy
Filippo Cossio: Department of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterb, Italy

Agriculture, 2017, vol. 7, issue 11, 1-11

Abstract: An internationally acknowledged requirement is to analyze and provide technical solutions for prevention and safety during the use and maintenance of manure spreader wagons. Injuries statistics data and specific studies show that particular constructive criticalities have been identified on these machines, which are the cause of serious and often fatal accidents. These accidents particularly occur during the washing and maintenance phases—especially when such practices are carried out inside the hopper when the rotating parts of the machine are in action. The current technical standards and the various safety requirements under consideration have not always been effective for protecting workers. To this end, the use of SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) allowed us to highlight critical and positive aspects of the different solutions studied for reducing the risk due to contact with the rotating parts. The selected and tested solution consists of a decoupling system automatically activated when the wheels of the wagon are not moving. Such a solution prevents the contact with the moving rotating parts of the machine when the worker is inside the hopper. This mechatronic solution allowed us to obtain a prototype that has led to the resolution of the issues related to the use of the wagon itself: in fact, the system guarantees the stopping of manure spreading organs in about 12 s from the moment of the wheels stopping.

Keywords: manure spreader; safety; decoupler; mechatronic; SWOT analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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