What this checklist is for
This is a daily walk around sheet that can be used with a compact utility tractor or an agricultural tractor. Enter information into the fields above. Then you can save it to a CSV or PDF file. Fields include: Hitch Plan, ROPS setup, Hour Meter, Operator, Unit, Make, Model, Serial, and Location. There are check boxes for Brakes, SMV, Lights, Tires, Hydraulics and Fluids, PTO & Hitch, Operator Protection (OK/Defect/N/A). And there are spaces for defects, action, and signatures.
For tractors made after Oct. 25, 1976, there are employer rules about seat belts and ROPS found in 29 CFR 1928.51. For tractor guarding in farm fields (and PTOs), see 29 CFR 1928.57. And for the nine practices that OSHA says must be done initially and at least once each year, see 1928 Subpart C Appendix A.
To operate safely, employers should perform preoperational safety checks as required by OSHA 3835. Daily checklists covers fluid levels, tire pressure, brakes, interlocks, and leaks. These can be found in OEM daily lists such as John Deere, the Deere compact daily operating checklist, and Kubota’s daily check points. This template is not a substitute for the operator's manual on the seat. Nor is it an official OSHA blank.
Note tractor & operator info. Fill out date, location, hour meter, serial number, make, model and unit #. Choose class (track-type, low-profile, compact utility, or agricultural wheeled). Note ROPS config: Cab? Folding down for documented low clearance? Folding upright? Fixed? Something to check against when it comes time to look at the seat-belt row.
Will you be using a loader? PTO? Drawbar? 3-point? Will you travel a public road? If you're an employee operator, say so and check that you've been told about Appendix A practices (1928.51(d)). Before starting up, Deere's pre-op sheet also expects the operator's manual to be on the machine.
What it is not
- It is not a CMV Class 8 tractor-semitrailer pre-trip. Gladhands, fifth wheels, 4/32 inch steer tread, and air-brake pop-out belong on the published Truck Inspection Checklist. Do not copy 49 CFR 393 numbers onto this farm tractor.
- It is not a hydraulic excavator walk and not a skid-steer walk. Those machines use different stations (house swing, quick coupler, loader arms, tracks). Keep this sheet on ROPS, PTO, 3-point hitch, SMV, and agricultural hydraulics.
- It is not a 1928.51 ROPS certification test, a PTO rpm chart, or a ballast worksheet. The 110 lb per PTO horsepower figure in 1928.51(a) is a tractor test-weight definition, not a daily Pass/Fail. Do not load-test the master shield to 250 lb on this walk. That 250 lb figure is a design strength in 1928.57(b)(1)(ii).
- It is not a licensed state inspection sticker, a highway lighting homologation, or ASABE S276 product certification. The SMV row records whether an emblem is present, clean, and not faded when you will use a public road.
How to fill each block
When the engine is off, check for proper operator protection. Walk the ROPS. Are there any cracks or bends in any of the members? This is part of section 51(c). If folding type, make sure it's standing up and lock pins is installed. Keep it up unless you're doing a job that's on the list of low-clearance uses and the OEM instructs you to fold it.
Deere's seat-belt caution is to wear the belt with a non-folding ROPS or a folding ROPS in the upright position. If you need to fold the ROPS for low clearance, don't use the belt. Buckle it as soon as conditions allow and then raise it back up. Seat belts is required when ROPS are required by 51(b)(2). Be sure to use it anytime the tractor is moving. Make sure the belt is snug so the operator stays within the ROPS zone.
Check the fire extinguisher if it carries one, horn, decals (OSHA 3835), cab glass if equipped, grab bars, steps, and seat mount. If the tractor didn't have the part, mark it N/A. The 51(b)(5) exemption only applies if that specific use actualy applies today.
With the engine off, inspect the hitch and PTO. Side-, mid-, or rear-mounted shafts must have a master shield or other guarding required by 57(b)(1). Keep the master shield in place, Deere says. To connect a shaft, tip the shield up and then reconnect. Don’t run the PTO if the shield is completely raised. Don’t step on the shield. When not using an implement, use the stub cap.
With a driveline engaged, Deere says to shut the engine off, make sure the driveline is locked, lower the master shield back into position, and ensure rotating shields can turn freely (57(b)(1)(iv)).
For the 3-point, follow Deere’s hitch procedure: Park, stop the engine, set the brake, and do not stand between the implement and tractor.
Keep draft links attached using linch pins or quick lock. Connect the center link. Slowly raise and lower while observing for PTO separation. Also watch for binding or interference. Hitch only to hitch points recommended by the manufacturer. Hitch only to the drawbar (Appendix A item 8).
According to the 2600 brochure from Massey Ferguson, it has an adjustable drawbar, Category I/II 3-point controls and folding ROPS with a seat belt. Never write 540 or 1000 rpm as a federal fail. Use the OEM method of matching the PTO selector to the implement.
Hydraulics and fluids
Daily checks include fuel, coolant, transmission or transaxle oil, engine oil, clean oil-cooler or radiator screen, and any leaks found on the ground. (Kubota’s daily points, and Deere’s daily list.) Many compact tractors use hydraulic and transmission oil. The manufacturer specifies the dipstick. Don’t pull a hot radiator cap. Examine remote couplers, cylinders, and hoses. If a condition might impact safe operation, don’t run it, says Deere. Kubota also includes checking for abnormal vibration or noise while running and ensuring that bolts, nuts, and pins is tight. Only add fluid if trained to do so on this model.
Check the brakes, SMV, lights, and tires.
Check tires for inflation, cuts, weather cracks, and tread wear. Consult the operator's manual or tire sidewall. This form does not publish a psi or a 49 CFR 393.75 tread fail.
Wheel hardware tight
Wheel weights/suitcase weights: Secured if used. This is a hardware check, not the 1928.51 test-weight formula.
The lights include headlamps, tail lamps, turn signals, and warning flashers as equipped. According to Deere road caution, warning lights and SMV emblem should be clean and visible. Place lights and emblem on equipment if hidden by a rear implement.
What varies
Before taking on a public road, lock brake pedals together using the latch. 145(d)(10) describes the SMV emblem (a fluorescent yellow-orange triangle with a dark red reflective border) for vehicles designed to travel 25 mph or less on public roads. It is not a lamp and has no clearance marker.
According to OSHA 3835: "SMV display is required on vehicles traveling at speeds of 25 mph or less including tractors and towed attachments." Look up your state's highway rule. Examine steering, parking brake or park lock (item 9 of Appendix A) & service brakes. Kubota tests park lock, speed-control lever & safety-switch / easy-checker function.
Check interlocks and workplace. Keep guards on while running per 57(a)(6). Don't allow riders, except for people needed for instruction or assistance. Disconnect power and stop engine until motion stops if servicing. Engage power or start engine only after making certain the area is clear. See Appendix A.
Don’t enter holes, embankments, or ditches. Avoid excessively steep slopes. Be alert to trees, roads, and the ends of rows. Never allow others to ride. Follow OSHA 3835 and keep children out. Don’t start inside unless ventilated. Test safety systems in an open clear area. Don’t run if the seat or PTO interlock fails. Use the manufacturer interlock procedure from their manual, not some generic sequence invented here.
List every defect, choose whether the tractor is released or needs repair, and then sign off.
List all Defects. Decide whether the tractor is released, repaired first, scheduled but still safe, or not released. Sign. According to Deere’s pre-operation sheet, the operator has read the manual and is trained. The operator will not operate the tractor if there is any component that might affect safe operation. This page doesn’t send it on its way for you.
An agricultural tractor (1928.51) is a self-propelled vehicle equipped with a power unit having more than 20 horsepower, and with either two wheels, four wheels, or tracks, intended primarily for drawing, carrying, propelling, or driving agricultural implements. Implements that are self-propelled are not covered.
After you finish
Even though compact utility tractors may appear similar, because they are rated at 20 hp or less, they are not included in the ROPS definition. Follow the manufacturer’s belt and ROPS instructions for these.
ROPS and seat-belt exemptions (1928.51(b)(5)) include low profile tractors used in hop yards, vineyards, orchards, within a greenhouse or a farm building where clearance is inadequate, or when using mounted equipment that is incompatible with ROPS. Those exemptions apply while that use actually applies. The examples given in the regulation would be fruit harvesters, vegetable pickers, cotton strippers, cornpickers etc. The orchard exemption doesn’t apply if you fold up your ROPS for a trip down the driveway.
Part 1928: An employee/employer agricultural standard. Part 1928 isn’t a reason to bypass the OEM walk if you have family or own it. Whether or not OSHA covers your farm is a coverage question; there’s no Pass/Fail on this sheet for those limits. Recording rules might be added by state-plan OSHA.
Motor-vehicle laws are set by the state, such as rules for highway lighting, SMV display, and escorts. Employers should verify local rule by checking OSHA 3835. A belt is required inside the ROPS envelope, but a cab tractor still needs whatever the OEM requires. 1926.1001 ROPS performance applies to track-type agricultural tractors under 1928.51(b)(1). You still must do the walk items (hitch, PTO, belt, structure).
1928: PTO speed is not a federal fail. PTO speed is a manufacturer match to the implement, often 540 or 1000 rpm on utility models. For slope work, 3-point, or loader tasks, use the manufacturer’s chart to find the right ballast for stability. Don’t make up your own federal fill line based on the sentence about ROPS test weight.
Hitch category (I, II, III), tire psi and hydraulic drop-rate settings are found in the manuals of these implements and this tractor. Want to download a filled PDF or CSV? Download it as a filled-in PDF or CSV. This browser only shows the answers. Next visitor gets a blank form.
Give the signed record to the supervisor or shop process the farm uses. Unsafe tractors won’t be used until an authorized person puts them back on the road. It doesn’t replace required equipment training under 1928.57. It doesn’t replace the annual Appendix A briefing in 1928.51(d). It doesn’t generate a motor-carrier DVIR. It also doesn’t send a notice to OSHA.
Not a substitute for the OEM or a licensed inspection
The form appears above. Below the form are the preview image and the printable PDF.
This is not a replacement for a qualified mechanic, the tractor’s operator’s manual, 29 CFR 1928, state highway marking rules, or legal advice. Don’t invent OK / Defect limits that the cited OSHA text or OEM procedure does not state. This is a recordkeeping template.