Unspeakable tragedy

[Bill Hoffman]

In Salem CT today, a 6 year old boy was "helping" his dad clearing brush.
While dad's back was turned, the child threw a branch into a running wood
chipper. He got caught on the branch and was pulled into the chipper.

Folks, keep your kids away from running equipment. I cannot imagine how
these parents are going to cope. Even the state police spokesperson was
on the verge of tears.

[MasseyWV]

Salem child killed in accident involving wood chipper - WFSB Channel 3

[Ductape]

What can you say to that?

Tragic......

[MHarryE]

Should children that age be playing where it is safe and not working with dad? I have visible scars everywhere, hand from PTO accident, wrist from logging accident, head several scars from being hit by flying whatever. Worst is an emotional scar from nearly flipping a non-ROPs tractor backwards. Worst one I know of is where a farmer had his young daughter with him when he plugged it. Instead of stopping the engine he disengaged the header clutch and went to clean it out. As he got it unplugged his daughter played with the buttons and combined daddy. They got us together and asked how we should defend the ensuing lawsuit. When we heard the story we all said to get out the checkbook and negotiate a settlement. No matter what we said about safety practices we were going to lose something, so cut our losses and run.

[blueriver]

What can you say to that?

Tragic......

Yes sir ... Tragic.

[jimmyj]

What can you say to that?

Tragic......

x3. Wow.

[Ozykioti]

That's so horrible.

When I took delivery of my tractor last year the guy that was running me through operating it was very big on safety. He saw my 3 yr old girl and told me of a horror story that had happened when a guy had been using a rotary-hoe(tiller) with his child in the cab sitting beside/behind him, the rear window opened and ........

Glad he shared the story with me, as sad as it was I'll always remember it. When you grow up around this type of equipment you can become used to the dangers and need a reminder to keep it safe.

R.I.P little bloke.

[JDgreen227]

I just saw that news on aol.com when I logged in...what a horrible and shocking accident. I don't know how the father can possibly cope with it...there are those who will d*** him for letting his child even be near such a dangerous machine but he has to live with this the rest of his life and that is punishment enough. So sad.

[devildog1]

Wow! What can you say, father will always have to live with question of of right or wrong. For some reason I keep seeing flashes of the movie Fargo.
DevilDog

[tractchores]

A really tough situation. I personally feel like pets and children have no place near heavy equipment. Children may be an exception if old enough and they are watched constantly. The first time I used heavy equipment with my Dad we spent an awful long time talking about the dangers, pinch points, where to stand etc. While too young to get it the first times he constantly re-enforced it to where it became habit at a very young age.... Of course this person could have done all that, accidents unfortunately happen, even to adults who have been using machines for years. Unfortunately the equipment that so many of us like to operate is inherently dangerous, and while we can reduce the risk we can never make it totally risk free. I can't imagine how horrible this must be for the father and the family. I'm sure it happened in a flash and he'll think about that split second he was distracted for the rest of his life.