Safety doesn't care if your forgetful

[cdaigle430]

Hello,

Hope all is well with everyone. Wanted to share a misshap I recently had with my tractor.

Took the tractor out of storage last week. Had it in the shed with a trickle charger and the ROPS up. To get it out I had to fold the ROPS but I dropped one of the pins behind the BH and couldn't find it.

Drove it around the property a little and then parked it in the garage for maintenance.

My wife's son and I looked for the pin in the yard and found it, he wanted to know what it's fore so I put the ROPS up and just inserted the pin just to show him.

Two days later I started up the tractor and went behind it to raise the stabilizer arms. While the arm was going up thats when the pin fell out and hit me on the head.

Saw stars and heard ringing on top of the extreme pain on my head for a couple minutes. A week later it's still discolored and sore.

My lesson is always put locking pins even if your just showing it to someone.

This could have killed me, the ROPS is heavy as heck.

 

[Thomas]

Yup one of those I find it or fix it later...think most of us been there.

 

[Hay Dude]

Might want to get checked for a concussion.

 

[WranglerX]

If you remove pins often, maybe you need to put them on a leash so the don't get misplaced....

 

[notaz3]

I was taught bolts or pins are to be removed or fully installed, never left finger tight or "temporarily" put in.

 

[cdaigle430]

it wasnt the pin that hit me on the head it was the ROP. Man thats heavy-I did not go to the hospital because it was a small lump, no bleeding . I didnt get a headache either. So far so good I think.

 

[sixdogs]

If you remove pins often, maybe you need to put them on a leash so the don't get misplaced....

I have done that. Some of my attachments came with the hairpin on a small rubber "strap" so they don't get lost.

 

[Dmacleo]

it wasnt the pin that hit me on the head it was the ROP. Man thats heavy-I did not go to the hospital because it was a small lump, no bleeding . I didnt get a headache either. So far so good I think.

confusion was from this part

when the pin fell out and hit me on the head

yeah a ROPS hitting you is much worse, you got lucky. I got nailed close to eye when I was working on a MF1532 (that rops folds even w/o backhoe) and the old clip fell out of pin w/o me knowing and as working on it pin vibrated out. I heard a clang looked up saw rops coming at me. bled/seeped for few hours bruised for a week.
damn close and I learned from it. not only put clip in make sure clip is good.

 

[Jims1025R]

Thanks cdaigle430 for the reminder,

Probably all of us have made an omission like that, and a reminder is always a good idea - thanks.

From a bad experience I had a few years ago, (nothing to do with farm machinery) I suggest a medical examination. Though the injuries I sustained did not include a head injury, the doctors who are responsible for issuing the medical qualification I require (pilot) were certain that "I must have had a head injury for all the other injuries I sustained", and it took literally years to prove I had not. I succeeded, but learned along the way how fragile our heads are, and how injuries can make themselves known in a worse way, months and years later. Detail won't make this a better discussion, I wish a good head examination (probably an MRI) for you, for peace of mind...

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[ljjhouser]

The ROPS makes on hell of a club. You must be llivin right. You are very lucky. Glad you are ok --so far. I am guessing you will tether the pins now. However, tethering will not steady the rops, just keep them from getting lost. Also you will probably take the time to insure they are in place next time. I think we all do simple, but stupid things like that. Rops works better with the pins inserted. - Ha.