SeatBelts...

[Bird]

Dan, from reading all the stuff on this board, I'll agree that chain saw chaps sound like a good idea, but the fact is that I've never even seen any of them. I haven't shopped around to see if they're sold in this area, but if they are, I don't know who's buying them.

 

[MDNick]

HR_Mutt,

I am with you for the most part, at least with regards to tractors. I have worn the seat belt a few times on my L3010. But that was when I was doing serious stump digging. I had the rears off the ground a few feet at times, a few times leaning over sideways, then the root would give loose and down we'd come. I couldn't stay put in the seat with out the belt. Strapped in I stayed more or less in the operators area. But all other times, never have, never will wear the belt. And I suppose, there is something to be said for the safety of the belt and ROPS when the tractor is canted sideways 5 deg+ and the rears are off the ground 2'.

I have studied ROPS removal. Lots of stuff to remove and they are heavy, I don't have any low trees, and my garage will be built with the ROPS in mind, so I guess they get to stay. I hated 'em on the golf course, I'd get slapped by trees in the face when they went around the exhaust stack, then in the back of the head when they flipped around the ROPS.

As far as air bags/seatbelts are concerned, I wear my belt with the airbag in an F150 religiously. I was involved in a bad accident with my previous F150. The other driver died, I walked away without a scratch. The air bag/seatbelt saved me from any injury at all. The belt arrested forward motion and kept me inline for the airbag, and the airbag stopped neck whiplash and steering wheel impact with head. I am very happy I had both. I had just traded in my old ranger a month before, and I never wore my seatbelt in it. New vehicle, new resolution, saved life.

Nick

 

[Jag]

I had one tractor experence where the bank under the front tire gave way and set the axle down on the dirt as I was mowing along a ditch. As the dirt gave way I hit the clutch and dropped the bushhog all the way down. That was the only thing that kept the tractor from laying over on its side. Had to get my neighbor to hook up to pull the front end out... Yes a seat belt was on.

The other was rolling a small car. Slid off a wet road while trying to take turn when a tree fell on to the road.. The car came to rest on its feet after rolling a full 360 dregees on its side and end up facing the way I came. I had my seat belt on, and was seating in a tight fitting type bucket seat. The thing I remember most was that my sholder did not even touch the door as the car rolled that way.

 

[dmccarty]

Bird,

Hmmm, you made me think.... I bought my chaps long before I found TBN. At least I think I did. I don't know where I heard about chaps.... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

The shop that I use for my chainsaw supplies had the chaps as well as the face/ear protector and full chainsaw helmet.

The chaps cost 50-75 dollars and are holding up well to some pretty hard use.

I'll have to look at Home Depot/Lowes as well as another the hardwares stores to see if they sell the chaps....

The owner of the chainsaw shop said most of the people buying the safety equipment where contractors who needed to meet OSHA rules.

Later...
Dan McCarty

 

[PitbullMidwest]

The use of seatbelts is a constant battle in industry (at least where I work). The OSHA standard covering forklifts does not require the use of seatbelts. However if your lift came equiped from the manufacturer with them and you fail to use them you will be fined under the General Duty Clause.

There are countless studies that show in the event of a forklift rollover, seatbelts limit the operator from leaning away from the tip and then accelerates his head (like a whip) to the floor. I realize that the operating environments between forklifts and tractors are usually very different but there is evidence to support the "no seatbelt" argument.

On the seatbelt/airbag question, use both. My cousin was hit head on by a drunk, he didn't wear his seatbelt believing the airbag would save him and actually it killed him. The momentum of the impact moved his body forward and the exploding airbag hit him under the chin, breaking his neck.


Personally, I always use the safety features provided including seatbelts.

 

[fishman]

Bird,

I can't take credit for this link <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.baileys-online.com>http://www.baileys-online.com</A> but have found it to be a good one. I requested their catalog and got it in about 10 days. They have anything you could want for woodcutting, including chaps. All at what appears to me to be attractive prices.

 

[Bird]

Thanks, John.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Your post made me remember a few years ago I was using a JD 450G and it had the 4 post rops and roof for falling objects but I wore the seatbelt anyways because I was landscaping the creeks and ponds. While I was driving down into a small creek to backdrag the bank and smooth it out the bank gave way under the front of the tracks and put it on its nose. I had my feet on the dash so I could unbuckle but luckily didn't find the steering levers the hard way had I been unbuckled. Fun part was getting it out of there with the blade stuck down into the creek bed and the excavator gone the only tractor we had at the time was a MF 135 so we put the cable to it and it sat there with both back wheels spinning and not going anywhere while my father worked the dozer trying to get it back up the bank to tip down. Finally wore enough bank away to get it out and have since bought a larger tractor. Also got that thing stuck in a hole I was digging with it when I found some nice pea stone couldn't get traction and dug a nice hole but had the Komatsu reach into the hole and pick me up so that was easy. I will tell you one thing for anyone who hasn't worked around excavators when you are sitting inside a dozer and see a huge steel arm with a 4' ripping bucket reaching over your head it is one of the most beautiful sites imaginable. Strange perspective I have but still true. Later.

 

[Thomas]

"huge steel arm with a 4' ripping bucket reaching over your head it is one of the most beautiful sites imaginable"Kinda like a fathers helping hand. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Robert_in_NY]

That is exactly like it. Have fun.