Another tractor fatality...
- Thread starter rk246
- Start date
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I guess it's been twenty years ago now that my wifes Uncle called and told us about a next door neighbor kid in Kentucky. He was about twelve years old as I recall and using his dads tractor in a field across the road about fifty yards from the house. I can't recall exactly what he was doing but he wasn't fooling around. I think He was trying to pull a stump or something like that and the tractor reared up and flipped over backward. I remember seeing the little red and Grey tractor in their barn yard as we would drive by on a visit to her Uncle's place. Sadly, the part burned into my mind was that the exhaust stack speared him to the ground killing him instantly. They took f..o..r..e..v..e..r to remove him because they didn't know how to get it off of him. This was witnessed by several brothers and sisters. Please be careful!
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Jim
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Jim
trlong
Platinum Member
Another sad event. Hopefully, it was not due to carelessness or lack of seatbelt or ROPS use. I'm beginnig to think it should be required that at least three "Safety" threads be read before TBN members can join. But then, we have the freedom to choose. After rolling once (no injuries...previous post..), I choose seatbelt and ROPS. Hopefully, I'll continue to choose to keep my mind on what I'm doing, at all times.
Tom
Tom
RedRocker
Veteran Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Hello John,
My story is here Roll Over
I was but a lurker then....
Steve Austin gets some serious help with his bionics and I get plastic. What is wrong with THAT? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )</font>
I guess you need to have 6 million for the good stuff.
My story is here Roll Over
I was but a lurker then....
Steve Austin gets some serious help with his bionics and I get plastic. What is wrong with THAT? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )</font>
I guess you need to have 6 million for the good stuff.
As much as I hate to admit it my 3000 has no safety features at all, previous owner even jumpered out a bad neutral safety switch and I haven't bothered to replace it. Every time I approach that tractor I tell myself "This thing will kill you if you are not careful". I read the safety forum regularly and it helps me keep thinking "Be careful and extra cautious".
The day it arrived the wife came out and was pretty excited, her dad was a farmer and she use to drive an N, first thing I sad to her was "Don't ever forget, this thing can kill you in a heart beat".
The day it arrived the wife came out and was pretty excited, her dad was a farmer and she use to drive an N, first thing I sad to her was "Don't ever forget, this thing can kill you in a heart beat".
DrRod
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2005
- Messages
- 881
- Tractor
- John Deere 4110
Its amazing how fast something can happen and how easy it is to get into the job at hand and forget some critical safety detail. I'm very new to the whole tractor thing and I have already done some dumb things. I've stopped the tractor to move a branch out of the way, shut off the PTO, unbuckled the seat belt, and climbed down -- only to be surprised that the engine shut off. Oooops -- left it in gear. The seat sensor shuts it off so that's good and the HST generally holds it still. But what if on a hill? Maybe the gears would hold it but I don't know and shouldn't try to find out.
And once I backed my ATV out of the garage and started to pull forward only to discover that it was still in reverse which sent me back over a steep bank. I managed to stop before I went too far but a little further and I would have flipped. Again, just doing regular stuff but not paying close enought attention.
I once heard of a guy who put stickers all over his farm for his kids -- they didn't have instructions or warnings, they just said "think." Good advice.
And once I backed my ATV out of the garage and started to pull forward only to discover that it was still in reverse which sent me back over a steep bank. I managed to stop before I went too far but a little further and I would have flipped. Again, just doing regular stuff but not paying close enought attention.
I once heard of a guy who put stickers all over his farm for his kids -- they didn't have instructions or warnings, they just said "think." Good advice.
Scary stuff, I think sometimes we forget that we are all capable of having this happen to us. It seems that we always think that it can't happen to us, its always the other guy.... Just always gotta remember that life can change in a second... On my property definetly always Rops up and seatbelt, I will make it 100%... I am just wondering if Rops and seat belt are enough?
Cottonhawk
Gold Member
"....On my property definetly always Rops up and seatbelt, I will make it 100%..."
Great idea and I will do the same.
"...I am just wondering if Rops and seat belt are enough?...."
Excellent question. In addition to ROPS and seatbelt I keep an eye on my tilt-meter whenever I am on a slope. And I try to be careful all the time.
Great idea and I will do the same.
"...I am just wondering if Rops and seat belt are enough?...."
Excellent question. In addition to ROPS and seatbelt I keep an eye on my tilt-meter whenever I am on a slope. And I try to be careful all the time.
CT_Tree_Guy
Platinum Member
<font color="blue">I am just wondering if ROPS and seat belt are enough? </font>
Ryan, you've been reading my mind, and I think it's time you moved on to more challenging material (but that's not my main point).
Your comment echoed my thoughts on adding a shoulder restraint system in addition to, or replacing, the existing lap belt. One of my priorities is to construct a FOPS/roll-cage for the tree-bota. I'm obviously always working around trees, and one of my concerns is getting squashed against one if (when?) I tip over. I can think of no better way to stay safe than to be in a roll cage wearing a full restraint system, just like the NASCAR boys. Just the ticket for those embarrassing "endos" down the straightaway, or in my case, down a steep embankment. Sure would be nice to say, "wow, that was quite a ride", instead of merely breathing my last breath. IMHO, my life is worth the 5 seconds it would take to slip into it every time I climb in.
Even without a roll cage, a shoulder restraint might make a lot of sense for anyone using a tractor. It wouldn't be too hard to attach them to the ROPS. While we don't have to worry about the kinds of forces involved in an automobile crash, it might be nice to be held securely in place during a roll-over. I wonder how many tractor operators have been wearing a seatbelt and still been badly injured or killed due to lack of a shoulder restraint? To those who think I'm going overboard, which maybe I am, I assure you that I'm going to draw the line at installing airbags. Although ...... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Keep up the good work, and thanks for starting this great thread on such an important topic as our survival.
Ryan, you've been reading my mind, and I think it's time you moved on to more challenging material (but that's not my main point).
Your comment echoed my thoughts on adding a shoulder restraint system in addition to, or replacing, the existing lap belt. One of my priorities is to construct a FOPS/roll-cage for the tree-bota. I'm obviously always working around trees, and one of my concerns is getting squashed against one if (when?) I tip over. I can think of no better way to stay safe than to be in a roll cage wearing a full restraint system, just like the NASCAR boys. Just the ticket for those embarrassing "endos" down the straightaway, or in my case, down a steep embankment. Sure would be nice to say, "wow, that was quite a ride", instead of merely breathing my last breath. IMHO, my life is worth the 5 seconds it would take to slip into it every time I climb in.
Even without a roll cage, a shoulder restraint might make a lot of sense for anyone using a tractor. It wouldn't be too hard to attach them to the ROPS. While we don't have to worry about the kinds of forces involved in an automobile crash, it might be nice to be held securely in place during a roll-over. I wonder how many tractor operators have been wearing a seatbelt and still been badly injured or killed due to lack of a shoulder restraint? To those who think I'm going overboard, which maybe I am, I assure you that I'm going to draw the line at installing airbags. Although ...... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Keep up the good work, and thanks for starting this great thread on such an important topic as our survival.
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Probably the most dangerous and prone to tipping over tractor out there is a skid steer. They have full cages and a shoulder bar that goes over your head and shoulders to hold you in like on a roller coaster. No way to even start the machine unless the bar is down and your held in position.
I don't know it all skid steers are this way, but it sure is the most secure method I've come across.
I think there's a lap belt too, but since I have so little experience with them, I don't know for sure.
Eddie
I don't know it all skid steers are this way, but it sure is the most secure method I've come across.
I think there's a lap belt too, but since I have so little experience with them, I don't know for sure.
Eddie
