S-68
Safety makes sense... using hand signals for agriculture
By F. R. Willsey, Safety Specialist, Agricultural Engineering Department, in cooperation with the Indiana Farm Safety Council, Inc.
Standardized hand signals for agriculture would save time and aid safety. This was the opinion of Indiana farmers who appeared on a program of the National Institute for Farm Safety in 1969.
They stated that farmers normally use hand signals when noise or distance makes voice communication difficult or impossible; but unless such signals are standardized, they might lead to confusion and accidents.
The Indiana Farm Safety Council asked William T. Hufferd, Kokomo, to investigate the problem and propose a set of signals for evaluation. Those signals appear on the opposite side of this page; the Council approved and recommended them to the National Institute for Farm Safety and the Farm Conference, National Safety Council.
In October 1970 the latter two organizations endorsed the day-time signals (1-14) and referred them to appropriate committees of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers for consideration as standard signals. The need for signals 15 thru 20 was not considered as great, and no specific recommendations were made concerning them. The third signal is the one that would be used to call for help, although it isn't exclusively for that purpose. However, signal 3 followed by 7 would mean come quickly.
These hand signals were selected from the Army Field Manual. Many of them are also used by various industries (aircraft, construction, utilities, oilfield, etc.). Most of the signals are natural and readily understood by farmers. Preliminary tests indicate that the others can be learned quickly. Obviously, they are not new signals. They have been field tested, although they have not been extensively used in agricultural situations. Therefore, comments from farmers are encouraged so that the most effective signals can be adopted.
To aid in the evaluation process the following guidelines have been suggested by W. D. Hanford, National Safety Council.
Phase I:	Untrained Personnel (25 or more persons)
Determine how well the signals can be identified by persons who had not previously studied them. Record the results by indicating the signals (use chart numbers) each person correctly identified.
Phase II: Trained Personnel
a.	Conduct a training and drill session to improve the trainee's ability to identify and execute the hand signals.
b.	Observe and report on the length of time required for the trainee to become proficient in identifying and also in executing the hand signals.
c.	Check for ease of signal identification at varied distances. Suggest that five or more of the following distances be used:
50 feet 100 feet 200 feet 400 feet 800 feet
1200 feet 1600 feet 2000 feet 2500 feet 3000 feet
Phase III: Actual Work Situation
Using a tractor or any self-propelled agricultural implement, conduct signal drills to determine trainee's ability to utilize hand signals for a typical on-the-job operation.
Phase IV: Summary
Summarize the results of the sampling indicating those hand signals -- if any -- that are readily understood, difficult, confusing, valuable, worthless, in need of revision, etc.
Reports received* by June 7, 1971 will be considered at the summer meeting of the National Institute for Farm Safety.
* Address reports to one of the following:
F. R. Willsey	William T. Hufferd
Extension Safety Specialist	Division Farm Specialist
Agricultural Engineering Bldg. Public Service Indiana Purdue University	P. 0. Box 741
Lafayette, IN 47907	Kokomo, IN 46901
Cooperative Extension Service, PURDUE UNIVERSITY, Lafayette, Indiana
W. D. Hanford
Agricultural Safety Engineer National Safety Council 425 Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60611