Safety Tips

ddl · May 10, 2001

Re: Safety Tips - Tractor Overturn Hazards

It amazes me after the great post fom Miller and some of you still have not got it. A tilt meter will not stop a rollover all it can give you is a false sense of sercurity. Rollovers happen with sudden change in surface not because you drove on a too steep od surface. The best you can do is throw the meters away and learn how to run a tractor safely. You can never replace tractor safety with a device. As a teaching engineer who spent years working with manufacturing companies teaching safety, the only practise that works is being alert and paying attention to your surrounding. I know I will get lots of Sh_t from you all but safety is not something I can just buy a meter for and drive around with my head in a bag.

Dan L

jdkid · May 10, 2001

Re: Safety Tips - Tractor Overturn Hazards

Hi ya's
good pic and you don't know how true it is i drive fulltime not weekends or after work so i'll tell you this story
a good mate of mine is a no-till drilling contractor and his rule of thumb is "if the bottom side tire goes under your seat ie look down at the floor with xray glasses and you see your tire- that my friends is the last thing you see"duels or spacers will make tractors better on hills ,loaders and high mounted add-ons changes center of gravity .ptos are death traps but most tractors are getting better alot stop the pto if no pressure on the seat some even stop driveing as for tiltmeters i don't know eneff(sp) about then if they can't be set for diffrent wheel settings how good would they be you would have a hard job tellin me that 4 foot wheel spaceings sit better than 8 foot spaceings on slopes.. point of fact is unless set up right a smaller tractor will fall over way before bigger tractors i know afew will say Bull s#$t but any time ya want to come over and do a few rounds in the fields i work you would have abetter respect for what you can and can't do
catch ya
JD Kid

skent · May 10, 2001

Re: Safety Tips - Tractor Overturn Hazards

No, I won't give you and arguement, but to say:

The best you can do is throw the meters away and learn how to run a tractor safely

do you include throwing away all safety add-ons, like interlocks to prevent starting a tractor in gear, or like PTO covers, or like ROPS?

Dont get me wrong (I'm still happy!) /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif. But in an ATTEMPT to AVOID accidents, it doesn't hurt to have some bells and whistles to help prevent accidents.

I'm a long time user (over 35 years) of AG tractors, dating back to the 1950's. The Case I (still today) use for row crop work has no ROPS, has no start interlocks(can be started in gear with clutch engaged), tricycle type tractor, and yes I agree if you are alert and learn how to "run a tractor safely" you won't have a problem. But I also know of MANY farmers, darn good (and safe) farmers, that had wished (after an accident had occured) wished for a safety device or mode of warning when something was about to go wrong.

In some cases you are correct, but our society with its sueing and lawsuits has grown to a "Prevent litigation" mode. Like the engine brake on walk behind mowers - somebody stuck fingers under or around the balde while the engine was running and lost some fingers. What can we do to prevent that? Blade Brake and extended rope start. All add $$$ to cost of equipment. Then the FED's get involved and require blade brakes and extended start. Now all of us have to pay for safety. I could go on and on but I think you get my drift, so I won't.

Finally, not everyone who gets on a tractor can be a experienced operator. You have to learn on something. I learned when I was very young, but I learned not only by being told, but by actually doing.

(still smiling. . . . we b all friends here!/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif)

Steve

RBManufacturing · May 10, 2001

Re: Safety Tips - Tractor Overturn Hazards

Hi ddl,
Rick here. Does your r.o.p.s. give you a false sense of
security????? What about the seat belt? After years of
experience driving a tractor mowing highway right of ways,
I have seen a true need for a tiltmeter. There were two
slopes I used for training purposes for new operators. One
had trees at top and bottom. The other had no trees. First
one appeared the steepest. 8 out of 8 new operators agreed.
First slope had gradual taper at bottom to flat ground.
Second had sharp change from slope to flat. Weeds and
grass grew taller at bottom of second due to run off of rain
accumulation. Second slope was 6 degrees steeper.
Another example was a hill side that was approx. 900 ft.
long, but narrow. Appeared same steepness from end to end.
It was however 7 degrees steeper end to end. Ever been
driving down highway and glanced at speedometer and found
you had creeped over speed limit? Ever bumped another
car or object with car when parking? Closer than it appeared?
If a tiltmeter is a useless item, why have roll-overs
declined an average of 40-60 percent by highway departments
that started using them????? Why are these same departments
buying for all their tractors after testing a few meters.???
I envy the tractor operator that has such superior skill
that he does not think he will EVER need a tiltmeter.
I hope he has passed that skill to his children through his
genetics. A related note: At 9;23 a.m. yesterday my
machinist lost the tip of two fingers while using a table saw
to make some new shelving. He is a retired master sheet metal
worker for a major airline. A Truly skilled carpenter. A master
tool and die maker. Very safety oriented. Said he was not
paying as close attention as he should have been. Took the
guard off the saw. Too experienced to need it?????
A tiltmeter is a training tool, and a reference. Just as a college
student uses a book for learning, the teacher sometimes uses it for a reference. For those of you that have superior
tractor operating skills, may your skill alone protect you
for your remaining years, however short they may be.
Rick

Rick Hedgecock
R&B Manufacturing
http://www.tiltmeter.com
(816)587-9814

Harv · May 10, 2001

Re: Safety Tips - Tractor Overturn Hazards

A tilt meter will not stop a rollover

A speedometer will not stop you from going too fast.

A tach will not stop you from over-revving.

A temperature guage will not stop you from boiling over.

A gas guage will not stop you from running out of gas.

Not trying to give you poop, ddl. I just like to know what's going on with my tractor as much as I can. True that a rollover can happen too suddenly for anything to help, and other factors must be considered (heavy load in bucket, how high is bucket, implements, ground conditions, etc.), but as a total newbie on very hilly property, almost every situation is new to me, and the tiltmeter is just one of the things I keep an eye on to tell me if I'm heading into trouble.

My heart is in my throat when I hit 10 degrees, and I refuse to deliberately go beyond 15. When I get more experienced I can see myself getting overconfident, but I will never knowingly challenge the numbers on the meter.

Stop a rollover? Of course not. False sense of security? Maybe, but if used with good judgement (famous last words?), the tiltmeter, I believe, gives some very useful feedback.

I really appreciate your point of view, and the ramblings of a newbie probably have you rolling your eyes, but I think we're all on the same page about safety. A little healthy controversy can only serve to increase awareness. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

RobS · May 10, 2001

Re: Safety Tips - Tractor Overturn Hazards

I just spoke with Rick at R&B to order my tiltmeter. I got a bit scared working in some woods this past weekend. I made some decent ruts while pulling stumps and going back through the rutted areas was kind of un-nerving. I'm hoping the tiltmeter can help me calibrate my "seat of the pants" feel plus will be a good safety message to pass on to my wife who will be sharing in the bush hogging duties this summer /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

skent · May 10, 2001

Re: Safety Tips - Tractor Overturn Hazards

A gas guage will not stop you from running out of gas.

Hey Harv. . . . will shooting a gun straight up in the air stop a bullet???

(guess I'm treading on thin ice)

/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Steve

JerryG · May 10, 2001

Re: Safety Tips - Tractor Overturn Hazards

"Rollovers happen with sudden change in surface not because you drove on a too steep of surface."

So, as long as I don't hit a large rock /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif or get one tire in a dip/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif , I can’t roll my tractor by gradually increasing the pitch of the slope? I guess that I don’t need a tiltmeter./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

skent · May 10, 2001

Re: Safety Tips - Tractor Overturn Hazards

Rob,

calibrate my "seat of the pants" feel

Ahhhhhhhh calibration. thats what I like to hear!!!!

Steve

RobS · May 10, 2001

Re: Safety Tips - Tractor Overturn Hazards

Steve,

Ahhhhhhhh calibration. thats what I like to hear!!!!


I'm also planning an R & R study, but it's going to involve folding lounge chairs and martinis, not operators and repetitions!