Did I waste my time? Is operator safer in this case?

[4720 OWNER]

Have to close the door or turn the tractor off if out in the field with the dog. She has watched too much and knows how to run the HST!! Next thing you know she will be asking for a beer after discing the field!!

 

[MikeD74T]

coffeeman, To answer your question directly, nothing that actually eliminates a source of injury could be a waste of time, besides only you know what your time is worth.
I set the brake & put both transmission & shuttle in neutral but leave the engine running so I can lift the 3pt with the remote handle. I can park close enough that the extendable lift arms will engage. Your inquire has me wondering about my electric pto switches. Hadn't thought about what kind of electrical failure could engage the pto. Never felt it possible to have self engaging mechanical pto.
I used to know a gentleman that left his tractor running to remove a plow. Decided to shut off the tractor after dismounting and while reaching for the switch bumped tractor into reverse. The plow kept the tractor from killing him outright but the tire tore open his bowels and he died after 4 months in intensive care. Left his two sons struggling to run a dairy operation though spring planting & fertilizing. He'd probably say the time saved wasn't worth the cost. MikeD74T

 

[slowzuki]

Many "manual" pto's are really hydraulic on larger tractors, and I've heard of strange failures causing them to operate. The rule is in general, if the engines turning the pto could start turning.

Now I cheat a bit sometimes and will hook it up. I'm careful to keep arms free, no loose clothes or gloves, don't straddle it etc but I think I may start doing it the right way.

 

[N80]

My question to all the folks who turn the tractor off to hook up the pto, do you also turn the tractor off when you hook any thing to 3ph? The odds of the tractor slipping into forward or reverse are the the same as the PTO mysteriously engaging. Is it safe, about as safe as driving a vehicle, any major mechanical failure can cause injury.

Wedge

Excellent point. The folks who shut down to hook up the PTO but not to work on the 3pt hitch are not following their own rules. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for whatever safety measures someone wants to take. But I think to avoid being called a hypocrite you have to follow your own philosophy before suggesting that others do.

As for me, I never shut it down to work on the hitch. I'm sure its a good idea but I don't do it. But at the same time I don't think its one of those safety Golden Rules. My tractor stops if the lever slips out of neutral. Not just if it slips into gear but if the lever slips out of the neutral notch, even though the tractor gears remain in neutral...it stops and stops cold.

I usually turn the machine off to work on the PTO. But not always. My tractor has a live independant PTO. The lever to engage it is gated and spring loaded. It cannot slip. Even if the spring fails you still have to move it forward, then up then in. Not going to happen by accident. And even if it does, as soon as it comes out of the 'off' notch, the tractor shuts down if no one is in the seat.

I know people hate these operator presence switchs. I love mine.

So am I a hypocrite too. No. Foolish maybe, but not a hypocrite because I'm not telling anyone else that they are foolish for not acting like me.

And for those who shut it down anytime they mess with the tractor, more power to them.

Also, if anyone else is around, I shut the tractor down if I'm going to be anywhere I could get run over or tangled or crushed. I trust my tractor's safety features but I don't trust anyone else.

 

[walterc]

My first "real" job was operating a machine that made hamburger patties for fast food joints. The guy that was training me (the bosses kid no less) told me "every now and then when the arm comes out, give it a quick wipe to keep the excess grease from building up." A few weeks later after being off for a few days due to an "industrial accident involving the loss of right index finger", my boss asked me why I didn't turn the machine off first. I told him that I was trained to "just give it a quick wipe. . ." to which he replied (as he showed me what was lift of his finger same hand) you should always turn off machinery before putting your hands in an area that could get them injured". That's advice that has kept what was left of my hands in relativley good shape for 35 years now.

Since I consider a PTO as a place that could injure my hands, I always turn the tractor off before messing around in that particular area. If I'm using a non-pto attachment, sometimes I'll leave it running since the quick hitch system pretty much does the work any way.

 

[coffeeman]

coffeeman, To answer your question directly, nothing that actually eliminates a source of injury could be a waste of time, besides only you know what your time is worth.

I used to know a gentleman that left his tractor running to remove a plow. Decided to shut off the tractor after dismounting and while reaching for the switch bumped tractor into reverse. The plow kept the tractor from killing him outright but the tire tore open his bowels and he died after 4 months in intensive care. Left his two sons struggling to run a dairy operation though spring planting & fertilizing. He'd probably say the time saved wasn't worth the cost. MikeD74T

Wow. Just the thought of such a thing scares me. I can't imagine the pain for your friend and his family. Freak accident. Many times it's the; "I can't believe such a dumb thing happened." things that hurt or kill.

Coffeeman

 

[Glowplug]

Since this thread started I have gotten the rotary cutter out several times and each time turned the tractor off completely. I didn't lose any time whatsoever. I'm sure it helps my wife sleep better too that I do this. I will now ALWAYS turn off the tractor when working at the PTO.

I guess this bad habit may have started when my dealer had delivered my tractor and done the orientation to it. He hooked the cutter up with the tractor running. Of course he only has three fingers on his right hand and those three are mangled beyond recognition!

 

[BXRICK]

I was noting the other day that we are more aware (gross generalization coming up...) of things that could happen to us when we have seen them happen or have had them happen once.

This came up because a friend of my wife was in our kitchen, and saw our young (1 year) son open up a kitchen cabinet. It had pots and pans in it. Her comment was that we should be careful because one could fall out and break his toe.

Of all the myriad things that could happen to my son, this was the one she picked up on. Turns out, that exact thing happened to her son, so it's the thing she worried about.

I suppose this is why we feel the need to publish "man injuried while doing X with his tractor" stories. It's an attempt to drive home the point.

As previously stated, life is a large series of risk calculations. We all use a different formula.

I'll get back in my bubble now.

 

[IslandTractor]

I was noting the other day that we are more aware (gross generalization coming up...) of things that could happen to us when we have seen them happen or have had them happen once..

I think photos on the internet help drive these points home too. You only need to see one photo of some poor guy wrapped around a PTO shaft to remember that danger each time you go near one. That is far more effective as a teaching tool than the lawyer written laundry list that takes up the first few pages of every manual these days.

 

[Window Geek]

Turning off your tractor, setting the brake, and releasing pressure are all little things that can annoy us. Or save us. Most calculated risks get figured out while fully rested, awake, un-hurried, deliberate, and planned out.

Safety habits keep smart people from doing dumb things. While working around the house or getting more "seat time" we do hurry, act on impulse, squeeze in one more task, or maybe work when a little too tired.

When you go to slide that coupling from the implement shaft onto the PTO spline, are you sure it's not spinning? Could it be a little dusky and you're trying to get that last mowing in before the rain hits? We've all heard people say, "I (they) should have known better than to do that!"

Turn off the engine? You bet.
It's one of the things I do to make sure I keep getting more seat time.