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The foldable roll-over protective structure (FROPS) protects the operators against fatal injuries in tractor roll-over accidents. However, a rear-mounted FROPS is often folded down or removed. In the present study, the accessible zones and grasping areas in a rear-mounted FROPS were redesigned and adapted to the 5th, 50th, and 95th European human anthropometric percentiles to enhance its correct and comfortable use. Then, a rod was proposed as a design solution to make the roll-bar grasping areas fall within the new accessible zones. The rod prototype increased roll-bar reachability and facilitated the raising handling, especially for shorter users. The present study results and the accessible zones redesigned, taking into account the human percentiles, will be helpful in rethinking reachability issues in manual handling of machinery components, to support the correct behaviours, and make human-machine interaction more comfortable and safer for all.

Objective:To identify the critical behaviors that may hinder the correct use of foldable rollover protective structures (FROPS) on tractors and to explore the influence of user factors and FROPS technical characteristics.Background:FROPS are effective in preventing fatal injuries in rollover accidents if they are in the upright position. However, many farmers leave FROPS folded down.Method:Twenty farmers and sixteen models of tractors were involved in the study. Operators were observed while raising the FROPS, and the observed behaviors were correlated with user factors and FROPS technical features.Results:In the initial rotation of the FROPS, higher lowered roll-bar to ground distance and FROPS pivot-pin to ground distance required more awkward and unbalanced postures ( p = .02 and p = .01, respectively). When rotating the FROPS in upright position, smaller stature of the participants and higher FROPS pivot-pin to ground distance were significantly correlated with using the tractor’s rear 3-point lower links as a supporting surface ( p = .01 and p = .02, respectively).Conclusion:FROPS might be revised considering users’ comfort in use and anthropometric variability, to improve reachability, avoid risky behaviors, and enhance FROPS operation.Application:Technical solutions to enhance FROPS accessibility may be developed, particularly by providing safe surfaces to support operators and highlighting the grasping points. Further best practices and information on correct gestures to handle the FROPS should be included in the tractor manual.

Tractor rollover is the main cause of fatal and non-fatal accidents in agriculture; fitting Rollover Protective Structures (ROPS) on tractors is the most effective solution to prevent deaths in case of rollover. Foldable Rollover Protective Structures (FROPS) have been developed to facilitate tractor operation in low overhead clearance zones. However, many fatalities and serious injuries in tractor rollover accidents occur when the FROPS is left by the operator in the folded-down position after passing an obstacle. Little is known about the reasons of such behavior and few solutions have been suggested to overcome this issue. In the present study an ergonomic multidimensional analysis of FROPS operation considering users' critical behaviors and perceptions in their interaction with the tractor features were assessed, to develop user-centred design solutions to improve the manual handling of FROPS. A group of farmworkers (n=21) was observed and interviewed while handling the FROPS on their own tractor, to point out critical behaviors, perceptions of effort and discomfort, and suggestions for technical improvements. A set of FROPS-related objective measurements including the forces required to operate the foldable roll-bar were also taken. The participants reported moderate levels of perceived effort, as the entity of the force required to operate the FROPS was minimized by the low handling frequency. The observations pointed out some postural criticalities affected by FROPS technical features; moreover, the participants adopted some spontaneous strategies to facilitate the handling of the roll-bar which in some cases increased the exposure to the risk of falling. Based on the present results some recommendations for technical adjustments are proposed to encourage the correct use of FROPS thus preventing fatal accidents due to tractor rollover.