COVID-19: Hygiene when operating machinery

In the face of extraordinary measures to help curtail the spread of COVID-19, it’s worth considering some sensible hygiene measures that you can apply to your machines, or indeed, one that you may be test driving or considering to buy.

During this challenging period, the farmmachinerysales team will continue to test machines and cover new product launches where possible, but we will be taking some extra measures to minimise the risk to our team. You may want to apply the same regime to your own vehicle, especially if you’re sharing it with friends or family.

Here are basic tips to ensure good hygiene when operating machinery:

1. Consider cleaning your machine with an alcohol-based disinfectant or wipes before you hand it over to another driver. If the boot is on the other foot and you’re the ‘new’ driver – apply the same logic.

2. Ideally wear gloves while doing so and test the cleaner on an out of the way area of the interior before you launch into the main dash. Avoid overly harsh cleaners (ie: bleach).

3. The touch points you should target include the steering wheel, transmission shifter, door handles, and other places you might touch such as the joysticks, data touchscreen, radio volume knob or heating controls.

4. Remember the government ‘social distancing' protocols to help reduce the risk of person-to-person infection. That means only one person in the tractor cab and no one in the training seat.

5. If operating your machine in your own paddock, have disinfectant wipes and hand sanitiser handy in the cab with you for when you need to clean your hands after a task or disinfect surfaces, for example.

While commercial vehicle drivers might need to be more cautious and rigorous with hygiene at the public gas pumps, farmers might not need to worry as much if they refuel off a tank they have on farm. However that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have basic hygiene measures in place, especially if they share the pump and tank with other people.

Consider using gloves when handling the pump and always wash your hands with soap and water after. And if you’re some distance away from water and soap, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser.

Where practicable, give your machine a good blow down with an air compressor and gun; and hose down your machinery with a good pressure washer after use before you store it in the shed.

This is after you have given all in-cab surfaces a good wipe down of course. (don’t forget door handles both in and outside!)

Pandemic or not, it’s always good practice to clean your machinery on a frequent basis anyway, as when it comes time to sell, a well-loved and cared-for machine always scores.