Another rollover death

[bcp]

Driver killed in tractor rollover in Five Corners | The Columbian

A Vancouver man attempting to move a vehicle in the Five Corners area was killed when his tractor rolled on top of him Wednesday evening.

...

Witnesses said the man, identified as Russell E. Cousins, 62, was using the tractor to move a vehicle on the property. The tractor flipped over, landing on top of him.


================================

Probably won't learn any more about the specifics.

I'm surprised that so many of these keep happening.

Google News - Search

Bruce

 

[Doofy]

Being a new tractor owner, I have no clue as to the causes of tractor rollovers. I have lifted the rear tires off the ground while trying to pull a small stump with the FEL and a chain. I make sure now that all the roots are cut and that the stump is loose. Sure don't want to kill myself before the tractor is worn out.

 

[Coyote machine]

Being a new tractor owner, I have no clue as to the causes of tractor rollovers. I have lifted the rear tires off the ground while trying to pull a small stump with the FEL and a chain. I make sure now that all the roots are cut and that the stump is loose. Sure don't want to kill myself before the tractor is worn out.

Pulling from the FEL with a chain probably won't make the tractor roll over; but no ballast on the hind end and pulling from the front are not the proper way to try to pull anything, especially stumps.

Tires off the ground because of imbalance front to rear will however break your tractor and could cause you possible injury. Lowest center of gravity is the rear draw bar centered under the rear axle 'pumpkin'. That is the one place to pull/draw from that allows for low COG, as noted above.

 

[Doofy]

Pulling from the FEL with a chain probably won't make the tractor roll over; but no ballast on the hind end and pulling from the front are not the proper way to try to pull anything, especially stumps.

Tires off the ground because of imbalance front to rear will however break your tractor and could cause you possible injury. Lowest center of gravity is the rear draw bar centered under the rear axle 'pumpkin'. That is the one place to pull/draw from that allows for low COG, as noted above.

Thanks for the drawbar reminder. I know that is the best place to pull from. I'm having a tough time being able to see from a cabbed tractor.

 

[bcp]

Here are some tips from Canada:

Tractors - Roll-over Prevention : OSH Answers

Bruce

 

[Doofy]

Here are some tips from Canada:

Tractors - Roll-over Prevention : OSH Answers

Bruce

Thanks, Excellent reminders.

 

[oosik]

Just be careful up there Doofy. Those "massive" black spruce can be a real bugger - ha,ha.

When I got my first tractor in '82 - I experienced - rear tire lift off and pivoting at the front axle. I had a bucket full of wet sand and no 3-point weight. It felt like the rear tires were three feet or so off the ground. I know it was probably six inches. The tractor pivoted to the right on the front axle pivot and, fortunately, the rear tires touched down and caught.

It took me thirty minutes to calm down - get back up on the tractor - dump the heavy load of wet sand. From that day - some 36+ years ago - I have NEVER operated either of my tractors under any condition without a heavy implement on the 3-point.

I was extremely lucky - I was working on a portion of my driveway where the drop off on either side is ten feet to "normal" ground level. Had the tractor pivoted another foot - over the edge and down ten feet to the valley floor.

 

[kthompson]

Here are some tips from Canada:

Tractors - Roll-over Prevention : OSH Answers

Bruce

I use to work for a mobile crane manufacturer and did some load testing of machines our plants produce. Few years back posted some of these suggesstion and had back lash on one and it is posted in this link as I posted it, keep the load on the uphill side.

"Keep side-mounted implements on the uphill side."

Quickly I was taken to task as being backwards on that and I backed off agreeing with those who said it needed to be on the downhill side. I live basically on flat ground and some gentle grades but nothing you can not drive across at any angle you wanted to. All I am saying is think carefully on side loads on grades, it does not have hill nor mountain, here many roll overs happen with road ditches mowing them or dropping wheel in them when turning.

When a machine begins to tip it can normally be stopped if the load causing the issue can be removed quickly, very quickly. That means when in a touchy situation keep hand on lever to drop the load with no regard for protecting the load but the machine and you. As has been mentioned keep load low any time you are moving it. Do not pull stuck machine out sideways, cable or chain comes loose or snaps it rolling back and propel it to continue to roll over on it's side. Highway Patrol like to say speed kills and it does with equipment also. Slow and steady, no jerky movements. Be careful and think, and as my wife reminds me...pray.

 

[Argonne]

I find some of the most insidious situations develop when shifting heavy objects where, once the object starts to move, pivot, or lean, the weight increases exponentially while your loader is still engaged. Trying to shift fallen tree limbs is a good example. You might find that you can easily shift a downed limb with a corner of the bucket, but once gravity takes over when you move it you suddenly have two thousand pounds poorly centered on your bucket, and insufficient speed to get out from under it. My closest calls have been situations like this and I am now very, very, careful. A common task here is flipping round hay bales onto their side using my 25hp CUT loader with a tooth bar. It does it easily, but I had better have that tooth bar clear of the roll when it falls over or I am going for a far too exciting ride.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Once I spent some time exploring tractor accidents. I was amazed at how many had the similar recipe for disaster. A Farmer, a Tractor and a CHAIN!

I still go by my belief that Farm Tractors were never meant to have a FEL. It's an afterthought, something to move manure, rather than by hand. An abortion of sorts! I guess, that it's the FEL that accounts for most CUT upsets. I could be wrong.

 

[Doofy]

Good Morning oosik,

Yes Sir, those big ol' black spruce are killers. They could possibly knock your hat off. Funny thing is, they grow like crazy with just a little bit of fertilizer.

Bears have been the "problem child" this year. Just an absolute pain in the butt. They have figured out "Bear Proof" garbage cans and how to open car doors. Last week we had a large black bear standing on his hind legs looking in all the windows. Had some poor tourist in Anchorage have the roof ripped off his Shelby Cobra because his friend left some Fig Newtons in there.

 

[MossRoad]

Good Morning oosik,

Yes Sir, those big ol' black spruce are killers. They could possibly knock your hat off. Funny thing is, they grow like crazy with just a little bit of fertilizer.

Bears have been the "problem child" this year. Just an absolute pain in the butt. They have figured out "Bear Proof" garbage cans and how to open car doors. Last week we had a large black bear standing on his hind legs looking in all the windows. Had some poor tourist in Anchorage have the roof ripped off his Shelby Cobra because his friend left some Fig Newtons in there.

I heard about that Cobra on the news.... the guy said something like the top survived 50 years but didn't survive a week in Alaska. :laughing:

Then there were just a ton of comments about who'd drive a million dollar car up to Alaska anyway? I know cars are meant to be driven, but man, a vintage Shelby worth a million bucks? No way.

 

[Thomas]

Indeed a shame.

 

[oosik]

In all my twenty two years in AK - the most frequent item in the news- RE: tourist vs wild animals - - "Tourist leaves some type of food item in vehicle and bear breaks in and gets item - while also trashing inside of vehicle". I even remember hearing tourist say - - "Oh, we were very careful on our hike in Denali Nat Park - we took no food with us - we left it all in the vehicle".

Only had one "bear incident" - accidentally got between mother black bear and her two cubs. I think she could see how truly scared I was - she wizzed right down the trail past me and shooed her two cubs up a big spruce tree. I zoomed down the trail - the other direction and never looked back.

 

[Doofy]

I heard about that Cobra on the news.... the guy said something like the top survived 50 years but didn't survive a week in Alaska. :laughing:

Then there were just a ton of comments about who'd drive a million dollar car up to Alaska anyway? I know cars are meant to be driven, but man, a vintage Shelby worth a million bucks? No way.

His wasn't the only Cobra...there were 3 or 4 other ones all traveling together. He wasn't overly excited about it either.

 

[maxamber]

it's a sad story.

 

[D2Cat]

In the link on tractor safety it had this line, "Do not coast downhill (that is, do not go downhill with the clutch engaged). Before starting down a hill, shift to a lower gear that prevents freewheeling and excessive braking. Try to use the same gear to go down a hill that you would use to pull the load uphill."

Is it too early in the morning, but...do not coast downhill is the point being made. Then, do not go downhill with the clutch engaged. Are not those two statements just the opposite of each other?

If you DO NOT coast down hill doesn't that mean your clutch HAS to be engaged? I know I'm missing something!

 

[gladehound]

I find some of the most insidious situations develop when shifting heavy objects where, once the object starts to move, pivot, or lean, the weight increases exponentially while your loader is still engaged. Trying to shift fallen tree limbs is a good example. You might find that you can easily shift a downed limb with a corner of the bucket, but once gravity takes over when you move it you suddenly have two thousand pounds poorly centered on your bucket, and insufficient speed to get out from under it. My closest calls have been situations like this and I am now very, very, careful. A common task here is flipping round hay bales onto their side using my 25hp CUT loader with a tooth bar. It does it easily, but I had better have that tooth bar clear of the roll when it falls over or I am going for a far too exciting ride.

I've experienced this as well and now only use a stump bucket or forks when messing with downed trees. That way the weight is applied well inside the 6 foot width of my back tires. And ballast, ballast, ballast! That 3pt can lift a lot, use it.

 

[buickanddeere]

Driver killed in tractor rollover in Five Corners | The Columbian

A Vancouver man attempting to move a vehicle in the Five Corners area was killed when his tractor rolled on top of him Wednesday evening.

...

Witnesses said the man, identified as Russell E. Cousins, 62, was using the tractor to move a vehicle on the property. The tractor flipped over, landing on top of him.


================================

Probably won't learn any more about the specifics.

I'm surprised that so many of these keep happening.

Google News - Search

Bruce

If a bystander had suggested the setup was unsafe just prior to the pull. Odds are the bystander would have been told to mind his own business and that the driver had been doing this for 50 years and knew what he was doing .

 

[MossRoad]

In the link on tractor safety it had this line, "Do not coast downhill (that is, do not go downhill with the clutch engaged). Before starting down a hill, shift to a lower gear that prevents freewheeling and excessive braking. Try to use the same gear to go down a hill that you would use to pull the load uphill."

Is it too early in the morning, but...do not coast downhill is the point being made. Then, do not go downhill with the clutch engaged. Are not those two statements just the opposite of each other?

If you DO NOT coast down hill doesn't that mean your clutch HAS to be engaged? I know I'm missing something!

Yeah, it looks like they meant don't go downhill with the clutch pedal depressed, which to some might mean engaged. I think you're right that the clutch is always engaged until you disengage it with the pedal.