Found this "Don't Modify ROPS" lesson

[herdfan]

Found this \"Don\'t Modify ROPS\" lesson

Doing some web surfing during a rare slow-down at work and found this story. Pretty scary.

Skid Steer Head Crush

 

[slowzuki]

Re: Found this \"Don\'t Modify ROPS\" lesson

The modified rops didn't fail I see. Too bad the fellow didn't have his seatbelt on.

Those skidsteers can be very tippy.
Ken

 

[rockyridgefarm]

Re: Found this \"Don\'t Modify ROPS\" lesson

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The modified rops didn't fail I see. Too bad the fellow didn't have his seatbelt on. )</font>

N o mechanical failure, but apparantly the shortening made it less safe. Sad, because he was actually trying to be safe...

 

[Henro]

Re: Found this \"Don\'t Modify ROPS\" lesson

It seems that without a screen or something else across the top to keep the person within the safety zone, the result could have been the same even if the top was 2 feet higher... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

For me, the strongest message in that report was the importance of wearing the seatbelt when on a ROPS tractor.

 

[Renze]

Re: Found this \"Don\'t Modify ROPS\" lesson

..The skid steer was still in use ??

I would have sold it right away, if there were marks of the fatal accident on it that make you remember the accident every day...

I know of someone who had a Belarus articulated tractor, the brakes failed, and at 40 km/h he was driving into a Mercedes car at a narrow road with trees on both sides. The Mercedes was crushed, and the owner didn't use that tractor for 5 years. After those 5 years, a contractor in my area bought it.

 

[herdfan]

Re: Found this \"Don\'t Modify ROPS\" lesson

True. He'd may have walked away if the seat belt was used.
I saw another one where an 80 year old man was using his 3 point hitch to raise and lower himself onto the tractor since he was too feeble to get into the seat on his own (uh - how did he steer and stop), slipped off the 3 point and got his ankle pinned. He was found 3 days later, dead from exposure.

 

[mundamanu]

Re: Found this \"Don\'t Modify ROPS\" lesson

If you follow the url of the skid-steer story to its index page, there are dozens of similar stories.

Click here to read them.

It is amazing how a single instantaneoulsy-made bad decision, whether out of laziness, a lack of common sense, an "oh, it'll be fine" attitude, a disregard for the inherent danger of heavy machinery or any other thing can end up killing or maiming you or someone you love. By the way, in the eight months that I've been driving a tractor, I've been guilty on multiple occasions of making bad decisions for all of the above reasons.

After reading these reports and other safety threads, I am going to rethink my attitude, especially since the tractor I operate doesn't have a ROPS.

 

[RonR]

Re: Found this \"Don\'t Modify ROPS\" lesson

I drove tractors without ROPS for 40 years (on and off) and never worried it. Then the safety cabs came out, and ROPS on all newer tractors. Now, I wouldn't want to operate anything bigger than a riding lawn mower with a ROPS. Most manufaturers offer reasonably (I hope) priced ROPS for earlier models of their tractors. If I ever buy an older model tractor, one of the conditions of purchase will be if I can find a ROPS to fit it. No ROPS available, I won't buy it.

I do feel strongly about them.

Best wishes.
Ron

 

[herdfan]

Re: Found this \"Don\'t Modify ROPS\" lesson

One reason I just bought a new tractor was for the ROPS. Second was for 4WD since I'm in "hill country." My old 2WD Ford w/o ROPS will still be used for the flat areas, but after using ROPS and seat belt, I'm even more aware of grades when using the Ford. Now I only wish I had FOPS since a tree limb almost konked me on the head while pushing over a tree - guess a hardhat will have to do for the time being /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif