Look behind you.

[Walkin Horse]

Today I was moving a pallet of feed out of the barn to my new feed room. I had a spotter in front watching my forks going into the pallet. I was already nervous about picking this much weight in a tight space. As I was backing up I heard somebody yell. I turned around and one of my boarders was crawling on the ground trying to catch a dog. What I heard was her calling for him. She was on the ground and right at the lower links and behind the left rear tire. Luckily I was in low low just creeping until I got out of the barn. If I hadn't looked and looked down it would have been a terrible tragedy.

After I got done and thought about it , I went to her and ripped her a new one. I told her there wasn't a dog anywhere that was worth what could have happened. I told her I didn't appreciate her putting me in that position. Somehow I could see in her eyes that she really didn't understand what she did.

I feel like once I looked and started backing up my responsibility was to look forward and watch my load and the front tires so didn't hit any thing. I guess I need to rope off the area like they do at Lowes.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Women assume theyre seen, and that its your fault if theyre not.

 

[k0ua]

Some people have very low brainpower. As you said, she did not even realize she had a near death experience. I have seen several in my lifetime like that. They have no inkling of "what comes next". It is a mystery to them of why they were run over when they were in the line of travel of a large rear tire on a tractor, or why a firearm discharged when they placed their finger in the trigger guard and applied pressure..Some adults are like 2 year old children in that regard. It is sad.

 

[k0ua]

Women assume theyre seen, and that its your fault if theyre not.

It is not just some women, There are adult males like that too.

 

[s219]

I would have slapped her with a 2x4. Some people just have no clue.

 

[Happy Gilmore]

I can't begin to tell you how vigilant I have to be, I try to impress safety on my girlfriend around the farm, it's an uphill battle. She wants to help, but geez. I have learned to expect the unexpected. It's difficult enough with my children, I guess it's a learning process all bystanders. I need more eyeballs at times.

 

[Walkin Horse]

I had looked around because my 3 yo grandson was there but he was in the feed room with my dad. Even though she came out of nowhere, I didn't look down right behind me when I started. I just did the normal scanning look.

I have a girl that helps me a lot and she is very safe. As safe I guess as someone who normally works in an office can be. She and I talk about the plan on whatever task we are working on. I let her know exactly what I want done and and the expected results. In the last three years she and I have cut enough timber to saw a about 16000 bf of lumber. We have built a tractor shed,added three stalls to the barn, feed room and a tack room. In addition to hauling hay and moving equipment around plus all the other day to day stuff you do around a farm. So far , knock on wood , neither of us has been hurt too bad.

I am proud of our safety record at The Lucky Lucas Ranch. I don't like when people jepordize it. I guess I need weekly toolbox talks with everybody.

 

[s219]

You know, it sounds like a Dilbert thing, but maybe it would be good to have a basic safety meeting once and a while. There are many ways to get hurt on a farm/ranch, and it can't hurt to make sure people pay attention when they are working.

 

[tcreeley]

The pedestrian always has the right of way. Yes you need to look. If you hadn't been creeping- you would have run her over. Then what. She was bringing it on to herself- her carelessness, but you were operating the tractor. Your tractor would have done the killing. It is good nothing happened. Don't blame her carelessness for your inattention.

 

[Walkin Horse]

We weren't exactly at a pedestrian crosswalk. Once I made the initial look back for the grandson I was more interested in watching my load and not snagging something. I would have never thought about looking back and seeing an adult crawling around behind me. I guess I should have had a spotter in the back.