Be careful where you place hands while tractoring

[Snowback]

****** Warning - some graphic details here.

Met some friends for dinner after Church last week and learned all about a freak accident that happened to my buddy's father in law back in July. The FIL had joined us for the meal as well.

He'd been running his midsize Kubota through a smaller wooded tract and was pushing a log through an innocent off camber ravine. As he re-positioned the tractor to get a better push on the log, he backed up, and in order to keep his balance placed his left hand around the ROPs.

Apparently losing the tip of your pinkie finger is a quick, and an initially painless event. (Like a sledgehammer at full swing according to the guy). Seems he had turned the tractor just enough before backing to cause the angled ROPS to trap his finger between itself and a large tree beside the trail. Stopped instantly. He was looking forward while backing that short distance and never saw it coming. As he pulled the hand free he was looking at a gory mess of a little finger.

He walked quickly to the house and had the Mrs. drive him to hospital where remaining bone fragments and tendon to the first knuckle were amputated and the flap stitched shut. Now he fits in with the rest of us oil workers. I almost asked him to send me the pictures off his phone, but that was too much gore for TBN. He was in good spirits after the two months of healing, but that is a tough deal to be sure.

Best part of the story was when he went back out to show my buddy later the following day, the tractor was still wedged against the tree and the finger tip was trapped there between the tree and the ROPS. Collected it in a mason jar and he plans to make a hood ornament out of it as a safety reminder.

Be safe everyone! It only takes a second for something to go sideways on us.

 

[MossRoad]

YIKES!!

 

[kthompson]

Sorry to hear that and really understand but sure hard to do much on tractor with both hands in your pockets and you sitting on your feet cross legged like small children. Not being smart, one thing I have realized with cab, there is some extra protection there for it helps keep hands and feet in. kt

 

[dieselcrawler]

20 years ago, high-school days, I was into jeeps... subscriptions to several offroad magazines. Doing exactly what the OP's FIL did was common topic, keep hands inside the roil cage, install grab handles inside, etc. Due to that influence, I've often put my palm on the inside of the ROPS, but always carefully keeping my fingers in check and out of harms way. Keep em inside!

 

[bikerdib]

I caught myself doing that several times. It's SO handy of a place to brace yourself while backing up. Believe me, each and every time I catch myself doing it I give myself a real reaming out. I haven't done it in a long time so hopefully my self lecturing will keep me safe.

 

[mrmikey]

I constantly put my hand around the ROPS, until I got my hand pinched by a tree, not to the extent of your friend but enough to hurt, not any more tho.........Mike

 

[joefromga]

Maybe be a handle on the inside or front of the rops would be practical.

 

[Thomas]

Dang..we all take so call little things for granted until.

 

[CCWKen]

What kind of tractor are we talking about here? My ROPS is almost two feet from the outside of the tire and nearly one foot behind the seat. The tire would hit long before the ROPS got close. I would have to be a contortionist with huge hands to grab the ROPS. It starts at the axle as 2x6 box and tapers to about 2x4 at the very top. There's a good size tool box hanging off the right side.

I have caught myself grabbing the top of the fender on numerous occasions though. But I'm not the only one. Both fender areas are rusted from using them as a hand hold. (Used tractor)

As they used to say at the amusement parks; "Please keep hands and feet inside the ride".

 

[SPYDERLK]

Dang..we all take so call little things for granted until.

YEAH. ... Wife had an experience to teach us.

What kind of tractor are we talking about here? My ROPS is almost two feet from the outside of the tire and nearly one foot behind the seat. The tire would hit long before the ROPS got close. I would have to be a contortionist with huge hands to grab the ROPS. It starts at the axle as 2x6 box and tapers to about 2x4 at the very top. There's a good size tool box hanging off the right side.

I have caught myself grabbing the top of the fender on numerous occasions though. But I'm not the only one. Both fender areas are rusted from using them as a hand hold. (Used tractor)

As they used to say at the amusement parks; "Please keep hands and feet inside the ride".

Working in the woods with trees around the variables are nearly infinite and theres lots to distract you from precisely what is happening where. ... Without the experience of a specific incident its easy to miss the dire possibilities.

... For instance, my wife was working with the Rears flail on some trails in the woods when she backed up while chopping a pile of debris. The flail was pushed upward and its top frame pinched the knuckle of a finger wrapped around the ROPS. A bruise, but a tenth of an inch further and it would have crushed her knuckle. -- NOW we know how close that approach is. That frame has never touched the ROPS.
,,,,,Best to keep your hands off the hard spots.