PSA- Another Farm related death

[M5farms]

LAst Saturday morning we found My first cousins husband dead under his 5' finish mower. He had been mowing Friday around some places on the farm and had gotten some hay string in the blades. He backed the tractor into its usual spot under the barn and used 2 4x4 wood blocks about 12" long standing in the ends under the edge of mower. he had removed 2 blades and apparently a block split down the center and mower fell and he died under this mower. Everything looked normal with the tractor under the barn and his legs were sticking out behind it and you could not see it unless you walked directly behind the barn. which his son did Saturday morning. he was searched for in the surrounding areas Friday night when it was discovered he was not in the house. Saturday morning early the sheriffs dept was there to help with a search when his body was found. Don't stand your blocks on end lay them down or better yet use jack stands that will not fail.

 

[jerrybob]

Wow....tragic accident. So sorry for your family's loss............a lesson to us all to be safe.

 

[Fawken]

Sorry to hear that. Things on a tractor are heavy (FEL, Mower, etc) and I don't care how new and expensive your machine is- it all comes down to a little o-ring or nylon seal made in China. Please don't risk life or limb to save a few minutes.

 

[dave1949]

Sorry for your loss. That's horrible.

I use jack stands when taking the 4" angle grinder to the mower blades. Heavy equipment that could fall and trap someone is always a possibility to guard against.

 

[Jstpssng]

That's a brutal way to die. So sorry for your loss.
It's also a wakeup call for me, I've always preferred chunks off a hemlock over jack stands as I'm usually working outside and it's a lot more stable.
A few years ago I saw my neighbor doing a brake job using cinder blocks to support the car . I spun the truck around, went home and cut two blocks off a hemlock log I had just dropped.
He thanked me but argued "if they'll support a mobile home they'll hold up a car."