Please Respect PTO's! Fatal Accident today in NB

[slowzuki]

Please Respect PTO\'s! Fatal Accident today in NB

A local farmer was killed today. My mother looked after his father and mother in-law for 5 years, he was running their farm for them.

He was out harvesting corn today with a tractor drawn harvester. I don't know how a corn harvester works but I am told he was in the hopper? with the tractor running with the PTO engaged trying to clear something. It was between loads so he was working alone, several km's from any homes.

Apparently his legs were severed in the harvestor and he managed to get back to the tractor cab where he bled to death trying to drive to the road.

My friends have worked with the fellow and say he is/was a very impatient and driven person when harvesting season is on.

I shouldn't dwell on his unsafe working methods as it doesn't help his wive, son and 2 daughters, but I want to remind everyone about the dangers of PTO's and powered equipment.

If you are in a rush, think about what will take more time in the long run, injuring yourself really slows the job down.
Disengage the PTO, turn off the tractor. If someone is with you, remove the key so they can't start the tractor while you are working on equipment. Your cries of no can't be heard over the engine.

 

[Slamfire]

Re: Please Respect PTO\'s! Fatal Accident today in NB

There is probably an auger in the hopper to unload it. Sometimes they get bridged and you have to loosen the mass above them. Crawling into the hopper with the auger running is a sure way to lose you leg/s.

 

[theonlybull]

Re: Please Respect PTO\'s! Fatal Accident today in NB

oh man.... what a terriable way to go. i feel sorry for his family having to suffer for his impaticance.

 

[PineRidge]

Re: Please Respect PTO\'s! Fatal Accident today in NB

When working with powered equipment you have to be mentally alert about what you are doing. Daydreaming or cutting corners almost always leads to bad results.

I grieve for the family left behind.

 

[F350Lawman]

Re: Please Respect PTO\'s! Fatal Accident today in NB

I have seen my friend do that many times. I was there and could have shut the machine down, but I am sure he does it all the time. He does it when the mahine is full so he can sprinkle some powdered bacteria on the corn so it ferments quicker. The easiest way is to jump in the cart, stand on top of the corn and sprinkle it around.

Makes you think twice about such practices. I did think it was a risky but this really spells it out.

That is a very sad story, not a good way to go. Hopefully he has some insurance to provide for his family. Being a self employeed farmer that may not be likely.

 

[HayDR]

Re: Please Respect PTO\'s! Fatal Accident today in NB

Straight Facts About PTO Shafts and Shields
AE-1070, March 1994
Reviewed and Reprinted July 1995
George Maher, Ag Safety Specialist




Power Take Off (PTO) shafts are used to transmit power from a tractor or other source of power to an implement. Two speeds are commonly used with PTO shafts, 540 and 1000 rpm. RPM means revolutions per minute, the number of complete turns of the shaft in 60 seconds.


Did You Know?
The typical PTO shaft can:
· Wrap up 424 feet of shoe lace in one minute at 540 rpm, or 785 feet of shoe lace at 1000 rpm. How long is your shoe lace?
· Wrap your arm or leg around the PTO shaft nine times in one second at 540 PTO rpm, or nearly 16 times in one second at 1000 PTO rpm. Is your body that flexible?
· Produce second degree burns on your skin, even if you are lucky enough to have the PTO strip only the cotton clothing from your body. Nylon and other synthetics will cut into skin and muscle tissue rather than rub across it.
· Grind away skin, muscles, tendons, and break bones starting in less than three-fourths of one second when you are caught by an unshielded PTO shaft.
· A very strong man can generate about three-fourths of one horsepower. A tractor transmits nearly all of the engine horsepower to the PTO shaft. There is simply no contest; even between a very strong man and a PTO shaft -- the tractor will win.

PTO Entanglements
North Dakota usually has from four to six PTO entanglements per year that result in severe injury or death. There are many more entanglements, however, that result in someone's clothing being partially or completely torn off. This can result in severe skin burns when the clothing tightens up as it is pulled from the body.
Most farmers don't have to try too hard to remember someone who has been caught by an unshielded PTO shaft. Some older people will chuckle about a long-past entanglement. But that chuckle is more of a nervous reaction than true humor. PTO entanglement is not funny!
Any machine that is powered by an unshielded PTO shaft is dangerous. The brand of machinery has nothing to do with its safety, if the PTO is not shielded. You can work with any color of machinery you wish; red, green, blue, yellow, orange -- take your choice -- if the PTO shield is missing, it is dangerous!


How Can You Be Safe When Using PTO Shafts?
· First, make sure the shaft is shielded. This includes the driveline shield that covers the implement driveline, and the master shield which covers the universal joint and PTO stub shaft on the tractor.
· Maintain the shield so it can work for you. PTO driveline shields are usually mounted on bearings, so they need to be maintained. Always REPLACE the shield when it is damaged or missing.
· Next, keep a safe distance from it when in use. Keep others away, too. How far? A distance of twice your height is a good start.
· Allow only those who absolutely must be in the area to be there. Keep all children away!
· Always pay attention to what is happening. Most PTO victims were caught by surprise.
· If something goes wrong -- stop the machinery; take the PTO out of gear, stop the engine and set the brake. Put the keys in your pocket before working on the machinery.
· When stopping the machinery for any reason -- end of work, lunch, repairs, or communication -- take the PTO out of gear, stop the engine and set the brake.


More Thoughts About PTO Shafts and Shields
· The average replacement PTO shield should cost less than $50 according to North Dakota implement dealers, and will take less than two hours to install.
· Can you get an ambulance ride to the hospital for less than $50?
· How much health/hospitalization insurance can you buy for $50?
· Can you buy an artificial arm or leg for $50 or less?
· Can you buy a funeral for less than $50?
· Can you look at a picture of your wife or family and say that PTO shields are not worth the cost or effort?
A replacement PTO shield is simply the cheapest insurance you can buy. The time spent to install and maintain a PTO shield is clearly the most valuable and productive time you can spend in your life!

AE-1070, March 1994
Reviewed and Reprinted July 1995

NDSU Extension Service, North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Sharon D. Anderson, Director, Fargo, North Dakota. Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. We offer our programs and facilities to all persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, Vietnam era veterans status, or sexual orientation; and are an equal opportunity employer.
This publication will be made available in alternative format upon request 701/231-7881.

 

[markie61]

Re: Please Respect PTO\'s! Fatal Accident today in NB

Very sobering statistics.
Mark

 

[slowzuki]

Re: Please Respect PTO\'s! Fatal Accident today in NB

Just some more details to the story, the farmer was 57. He had 2 hrs of corn to go and was preparing to leave for Florida for the winter very soon.

Managed to call the man who contracted him to do the cutting on his cell phone and not much else.

If anyone is from NB and may know him email me and I can send you his name. He is from Keswick Ridge area.
Ken

 

[fgross335_2210]

Re: Please Respect PTO\'s! Fatal Accident today in NB

A high-school friend almost lost his life to a PTO many years ago. He was round-baling and for some reason took a smaller tractor (a 60-80HP IH) rather than their 1486 (150HP?). This turned out to be a wise move when he plugged the baler pickup. He left the PTO engaged with the engine idling and went to clear the pickup. His long-sleeve shirt got caught in the pickup and he was pulled into the baler right up to his shoulder. Amazingly his body wedged in the pickup stalled the tractor engine before tearing his arm completely off. He was able to extract himself and drive the tractor home. He had a dislocated shoulder and damage to the muscles, tendons and ligaments in his right arm and shoulder. After surgery and a year of recovery and therapy, he was pretty much OK but never did regain full strength and movement in that arm. Everyone agreed that the larger tractor's engine would have had sufficient torque at idle to either pull him in or pull him apart. It would have been a grisley scene.

Always sad to read "PTO stories". /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif