Who this course is for
- Operators who run a tractor on farms, plant hire, municipal or construction work
- Crews who tow trailers, water bowsers, graders blades and slashers
- Agricultural workers moving into contract or municipal operating roles
- Supervisors who have to appoint competent tractor operators
What you will be able to do after this course
- Carry out pre-operation and daily inspections on a tractor
- Travel and manoeuvre safely, including on slopes and uneven ground
- Hitch, tow and work with implements and trailed equipment safely
- Park, secure and shut the tractor down correctly at the end of a shift
What the course covers
The course works through the safety regulations that apply to agricultural and site plant, then through the tractor and the implements it is used with.
Learners cover machine components and controls, pre-operation and daily inspections, starting, travelling and manoeuvring, stability and rollover risk on slopes and uneven ground, three-point linkage and power take-off safety, hitching and towing trailed equipment, working safely around people and livestock, and correct parking and shutdown. The operating work is assessed practically on the machine.
How you are assessed and what you receive
Assessment covers a written knowledge test and a practical on the machine, where the learner inspects the tractor, hitches an implement and operates under supervision. On successful completion the learner is certificated against SAQA unit standard 262804, and the certificate can be downloaded from the Fundza portal as well as issued directly.
What this certificate is worth
Tractors cause a disproportionate share of plant incidents because of rollover and power take-off risk, which is why competence has to be demonstrable. The certificate proves the operator is competent in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and it is checked by contract clients and municipal site inductions. Learners can download it from the Fundza portal at any time.
Duration, dates and fees
| Option | Duration | Fee | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full course | 5 Days | R5,630 | First-time certification |
| Refresher | 1 Day | R2,460 | Already certified, renewing |
On-site delivery at your own operation is available and is usually the better option for a crew, because the practical work is done on your own tractor and the implements your teams actually use. For group bookings, tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based.
Where and how the training runs
Training runs at the Fundza Training Institute centre in Mokopane, and on site at your own operation. On-site delivery is generally better for a farm or municipal crew, since implements differ and the training is more useful on the equipment they run. For a group booking, tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based, and we will come back with dates and a quotation.
Where this course can take you
Tractor operation sits inside the earthmoving and plant stack at Fundza. Operators commonly add Bobcat and Skid Steer, Operate Backhoe or Loader or Front-end Loader so they can be placed on a wider range of machines. Browse the full range of earthmoving machinery training.
Enquire about this course
Tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based, and we will come back with dates and a quotation.