AGRICULTURAL SAFETY

Cost-effective Rollover Protective Structures (CROPS)

The NIOSH Division of Safety Research and Protective Technology Branch has developed a cost-effective rollover protective structures (CROPS) as an alternative to installing commercially available ROPS, which are hard to find, or as an option for older wheeled agricultural tractors for which ROPS are not commercially available. CROPS have been designed for four tractor models: (1) Ford 8N, (2) Ford 3000, (3) Ford 4000, and (4) Massey Ferguson 135. The NIOSH CROPS for each of the tractor models listed was successfully tested in accordance with Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE) industry standard performance test SAE J2194.

The available designs can be used either by

• an individual to build a NIOSH CROPS for their privately owned tractor
• a company to build and sell a NIOSH CROPS.

Certain parts must be manufactured by a facility that can bend 0.5-inch-thick plate steel (A572-Grade 50). Other parts can be manufactured using a band saw and a drill press. All welded parts must be welded by a professional welder using the appropriate welding procedures for a minimum temperature of -22°F (-30°C) as stated in the SAE J2194 standard. This is an absolute requirement regardless of temperature ranges in the end users local area.

In addition to having a ROPS or CROPS on the tractor, the tractor operator should always wear a seat belt for maximum protection in the event of a tractor rollover.

Disclaimers

Any deviation from the published designs or the installation of a CROPS on a tractor for which it was not intended will invalidate the performance of the CROPS. In the event of a rollover, operators will not be provided with the level of protection established by SAE J2194.

NIOSH is providing these CROPS designs and installation instructions to the public pursuant to its mission and is not offering any guarantee of any kind. Any user of the designs and installation instructions agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the United States government from any claims, costs, damages or losses that may arise from or through use of the designs and installation instructions. It is further agreed that the user will not by its action bring the United States government into any lawsuit involving the designs or installation instructions.

 

 

As of December 19, 2012, 82 NIOSH CROPS have been installed in the states of New York, Virginia, Vermont, Pennsylvania, California, and West Virginia. The installations in New York were facilitated by the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) at the NIOSH Northeast Center for Agricultural and Occupational Health (NEC) located in Cooperstown, NY. The installations in Vermont were facilitated by NYCAMH/NEC through a partnership with the University of Vermont Extension. The installations in Virginia were facilitated by the Virginia Farm Bureau. The installations in Pennsylvania are facilitated through a partnership with The Pennsylvania State University. The installations in California were facilitated by the University of California, Davis and the West Virginia installation was facilitated by NIOSH. As of December 19, 2012, these efforts led to 82 NIOSH CROPS installed on older tractors in six states. ( View the 2012 Field Installation Pictures [PDF – 2,305 KB] )

82 CROPS installed as of December 19, 2012

	Ford 8N	Ford 3000	Ford 4000	Massey Ferguson 135
New York	20	4	7	6
Pennsylvania	5			2
Vermont	7			2
Virginia	2	15	4	5
California	1	1
West Virginia	1

CROPS Installation Information

Ford 8N

CROPS
Testing Information [PDF-670 KB]	Technical Drawings [PDF-504 KB]	Installation Steps [PDF-1,711 KB] Updated	Installation Video [wmv-1,857 KB] No Audio	Field Installation Pictures 2010/2011 [PDF-1,536 KB]	Crossover Models [PDF-128 KB]

 

Seat Belt
Testing Information [PDF-377 KB]	Technical Drawings [PDF-256 KB]	Installation Steps [PDF-653 KB] Updated	Seat Belt Forward Test Video [wmv-433 KB] No Audio	Seat Belt Rear Test [wmv-281 KB] No Audio

 

Ford 3000

CROPS
Testing Information [PDF-695 KB]	Technical Drawings [PDF-464 KB]	Installation Steps [PDF-1,040 KB]	Installation Video [wmv-1,522 KB] No Audio	Field Installation Pictures 2010/2011 [PDF-870 KB]	Crossover Models

 

Ford 4000

CROPS
Testing Information [PDF-647 KB]	Technical Drawings [PDF-512 KB]	Installation Steps [PDF-1,248 KB]	Installation Video [wmv-1,889 KB] No Audio	Field Installation Pictures 2010/2011 [PDF-1,148 KB]	Crossover Models [PDF-130 KB]

 

Massey Ferguson 135

CROPS
Testing Information [PDF-672 KB]	Technical Drawings [PDF-498 KB]	Installation Steps [PDF-1,909 KB] Updated	Installation Video [wmv-1,852 KB] No Audio	Field Installation Pictures 2010/2011 [PDF-951 KB]	Crossover Models [PDF-131 KB]