Fatal FEL accident

[stem1955]

Arizona Daily Sun, Flagstaff AZ
Flagstaff woman dies in industrial accident
Posted: Thursday, September 30, 2010 5:00 am

A 38-year-old Flagstaff woman was killed in an industrial accident at a salvage yard off Leupp Road on Monday at about 8 p.m.

According to information from the Coconino County Sheriff's Office, the victim had been helping two men fix a Bobcat tractor with a malfunctioning front-end loader at the yard on Roosevelt Drive. Witnesses told sheriff's investigators that the door of the tractor would not close and the loader was in the "up" position. While one of the men was in the tractor, and the other man trying to close the door, the loader came down.

The victim was pinned between the front of the tractor and the loader. She was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Flagstaff Medical Center.

The investigation continues

 

[rd_macgregor]

It sounds like this was a skid steer, not a Bobcat tractor, but the article is kind of unclear.
BOB

 

[stem1955]

Yes, it does sound like skid steer FEL.
Very sad.

 

[jonyyuma]

A real Tragedy, Never had a chance.JY.

 

[Diamondpilot]

We had a guy at a church I attend get killed in a BobCat accident very similiar. He had the loader in the air and was working on it and the loader fell trapping and killing him in his garage while his family sleep.

Chris

 

[jcims]

The way those things flick the bucket around, you'd think they weigh almost nothing...until you try to scoot a loose one around by hand.

I used to casually walk under the loader without a care, until i realized what could happen. Then i started a 1-2-step-through quick pass whenever i had to get to the other side.

Now i just take the scenic route.

 

[rekees4300]

I never put any body parts under any weight that is being lifted by hydraulics. Not smart to assume it is fail safe.

 

[nebraskasparks]

I agree with rekees...the only time I heard an uncle of mine get mean and snappy was when someone started putting their body parts between hydraulics and heavy equipment. We had to have the combine heads etc lowered onto supports and the equipment shut off. I just wonder how many folks have been through a safety training program of any type. It's up to us to spread the word and talk about this stuff to our friends and family and set the example.

 

[Transit]

Tragic. Have any of you read the first few pages of the operator's manuals, the parts that say, DANGER, CAUTION?
Do you keep yourself safe by using blocking, lockouts or a sawhorse? Safety starts with YOU. Take the time to think about what you are doing.

 

[First one]

My heart goes out to her family and friends, what a awful way to pass on. I know that sometimes we just get doing things without the thought of what could happen, by not taking the time to be safe. Been watching the guys at work changing blades and cleaning out the grass under the flails on the tractor with no type of blocking under them, the two 72" on each side are in the up-right position. I told them thats just asking for it ,but because they've done it a few times without anything going wrong they won't listen.I sure don't want to find one of them under there, but they don't want to take the time to play it safe .