Tractor cabs must be disinfected from viruses between shifts

Farmers and contractors are kept busy in spring. Often their tractors work in multiple shifts and are operated by different members of the same family or employees working themselves on different shifts. During the corona crisis it is essential that tractor cabs are cleaned and disinfected between shifts.

This can be done using Valtra’s own cleaning sprays for glass and interior surfaces. The steering wheel, handles, glass surfaces, switches and exterior hydraulic controls should be cleaned carefully using a cleaning spray and rag. The rag should also be thrown away after each use.

The cleaning should be done by drivers at the end of their shift, after which they should not touch any part of the tractor. Drivers who are starting their shift can also make sure that all the surfaces are clean. It is also important to make sure that the tractor’s keys are carefully disinfected between shifts and that even the bottle of cleaning spray is wiped down before being handed over to the next driver.

Away from the tractor, the handles of fuel nozzles, including those for diesel and AdBlue, as well as pressurized air hoses to fill tyres or clean radiators should be carefully cleaned after use. When working with tractors, it is good to carry a bottle of hand disinfectant with you so that you can clean your hands every time before you enter the cab.

Contractor’s N134 is used by multiple drivers

Urakointi Kaunikkila Oy offers a wide range of contracting services in and around Jyväskylä in Central Finland. The company operates a Valtra N134 tractor alongside its wheeled loaders, small trucks and other equipment. In wintertime, the tractor is used for ploughing, sanding, removing packed snow and loading snow onto trucks for removal. In summertime, the same tractor is used for brushing, washing and levelling roads, as well as mowing the roadsides.

The company’s customers include local municipalities, the public road administration and large properties. In addition, some of its employees work in the company’s own engineering workshop manufacturing parts for the metal industry and private customers.

“Our Valtra has one main designated driver, but during busy seasons it is driven in shifts with drivers replacing each other in the cab to continue the work,” says Managing Director Aino Kaunikkila.

Fortunately, there have been no coronavirus cases among the company’s employees. To be on the safe side, however, more attention is being paid to cleaning and disinfecting, and close contact among employees is avoided to combat the spread of the virus.