J.D. Gator lunacy

OCDLubeman · Apr 1, 2002

Hi everyone,

Do other states have this idiotic law? In Michigan work places, the MIOSHA has classified the gator as an industrial truck and employees have to get certified to operate them (like a fork lift). We can operate a backhoe or a 300,000 dollar combine - -no problem - but watch out if you are not licensed to operate that gator!

beenthere · Apr 1, 2002

Certainly that cannot apply to a homeowner using one at home, or does it? I would think that could only apply if one was working for someone, and the Gator was part of the equipment needed to do the job.
But then, there is a lot of lunacy in lawmaking.

cowboydoc · Apr 1, 2002

None of the laws apply, OSHA, federal, and state if you are doing it for yourself. Only if you are contracting out.

PitbullMidwest · Apr 1, 2002

What's so idiotic about requiring training prior to operating a piece of equipment? We've had employees jump on forklifts (without permission) and run the forks through the wall. What if they had run over another employee? You might be a skilled operator but that doesn't mean everyone is. That's who the OSHA regs are designed to cover, the guy without concern for his own personal safety let alone anyone else's.

Golfgar4 · Apr 1, 2002

<font color=blue>"That's who the OSHA regs are designed to cover, the guy without concern for his own personal safety let alone anyone else's.</font color=blue>

I disagree with your statement that OSHA (or any other regulatory agency) regs are designed to cover the guy without concern for his own personal safety. The regs are designed to protect the innocent bystander that's just doing his job and gets injured or killed by the "untrained" guy that jumps on the equipment.

I do agree with you about the importance of training. Regarding a piece of equipment that is NOT covered by OSHA, or any other regulatory agency, I believe the dealer selling the equipment has a certain amount of responsibility in training the buyer. I also believe that most reputable dealers are doing this to some degree.

Do we want to get into that quagmire of regulating how much training a dealer must provide, or the individual buying the equipment must receive, if the equipment is to be used for personal reasons? I don't think so. We already have to live with an abundance of regulations in the workplace, and that's O.K., even though it's a pain in the neck. But we as individuals don't want to be told what we can and cannot do with our equipment on our personal property. And I don't think most regulatory agencies have the manpower, or inclination, to try to enforce regulations for private citizens.

OCDLubeman · Apr 1, 2002

I guess I missed my point. I believe in OSHA's mission and I personally take safety training very seriously.

The J.D. Gator was designed with safety in mind - wide stance, governed speed, etc.. Much of my other equipment is much more dangerous (chain saws, tractors, etc.). So, why was the Gator considered as dangerous as a fork lift and the others not?

So, I guess the answer is that we should need a license to do just about anything - a fellow employee cut himself with a screwdriver.......

Also, my original post regarded the work place, not home.

pennwalk · Apr 1, 2002

There are entrepreneurs and there are the rest of us. An entrepreneur would be thinking about setting up a Gator school. Hmmm a couple of dozen Gators and somebody else paying for them. Let me think./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Chris

Golfgar4 · Apr 2, 2002

Doitmyself -

I realized that your post was directed at the work place. And except for the confusion about who the regs were intended for, I agree with everything that you said. I don't ever want to be told how to operate equipment on my own property.

I don't know anything about this Michigan law that requires certification for Gators. Either the original poster mistated what the regulation says, or Michigan legislators have some real strange ideas about things.

PitbullMidwest · Apr 2, 2002

I disagree with your disagreement /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif. OSHA regs are written to require individuals to receive training or perform procedures to protect themselves from themselves and others.

Lockout/Tagout requires energy isolation to protect you from uncontrolled energy or from other workers re-starting equipment up on you. HazCom educates you on the risks to your health and what PPE to use to protect you.. Fall protection prevents you from dying from a fall, etc, etc.

Obviously the innocent bystander benefits from this as well but that is not who the regs are written for.

I agree that no one wants Big Brother regulating the use of their equipment at home or requiring dealers to provide training before you can purchase your equipment. If more people practiced the safety training they receive on the job to their work at home there would be far fewer stories about someone's "stupid act" to post here on TBN.

Golfgar4 · Apr 2, 2002

Isn't it great when guys can agree to disagree??/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif And in this case, I will agree with you. You are correct!

I guess I mistated what I was trying to say. Seems to be a lot of that going around lately /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif. I guess after re-reading my earlier post, I have to admit that it doesn't make a lot of sense to me either./w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif I must have been thinking about something else that decided to include itself in this discussion.

I stand corrected, and I thank you for keeping me on the straight and narrow! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif