Advice on walking tractor safety stuff

[Matthew ERICSON]

I'm doing research on walking tractor safety when it's used with a cart for transport.

I have a couple of specific questions, and some general questions too.

First, does anybody have any contacts that can tell me how many walking tractors have been sold recently?

I've written to Kubota but haven't had a response. Any other hints and leads, contact details, etc would be really appreciated.

Also, what local names are used for Tractors with carts in your area?

I understand they're called Kubotas in Sri Lanka; dock-dock in Laos (onomatopoeia); ox-machines in Cambodia; Iron Ox in Viet Nam; and so on. What else?

Finally, does anybody know of research on safety?

I'm currently working on revisions for a journal article, but I could find very few publications.

My contribution to our collective pictures (which will make you weep) is from Handicap International (HIB) --- an accident in Laos.

Please feel free to contact me off-line. I'd be happy to hear from you.

[Jeff Esdaile]

Matthew,
There is quite a bit of stuff out there on walking tractors. They are commonly referred to as 'power tillers' or 'two wheel tractors' or sometimes as 'single axle tractors'.
A lot of work has been done in India.
There are research papers on traction, cage wheels, vibrations through the handles (white knuckle syndrome') , seating, time spent in operation and rest periods, and I think some material on stability on slopes.
Roughly there are 500,000 made every year. They are principally made in China, with also some from Thailand, and India.
There are around 400,000 in Bangladesh and I understand 2 million in Thailand.
They are also currently creating a lot of interest with small farmers in Africa (replacing animal traction)
I advise you to go to Google scholar and put in 'power tiller' and see what comes up.
Also go into the archives of Google News with the same phrase, and you will get a lot of news reports of accidents etc.
Also use the ag. search engines http://www.scirus.com/ , http://agricola.nal.usda.gov/ as well as http://www.fao.org/agris/
Together with Google you should find all you want.
They are an O.H. & S. nightmare, with exposed belts, noise, exhaust fumes, vibration, stability and seating all causing health problems. Despite this 500,000 sold every year. They are popular because they are cheap ($US 1000-1500) and very manoueverable and economically a better proposition for small farmers than a 4 wheel tractor.