Local 'accident'

[Watertender]

Farming is and can be a dangerous way to make a living. Growing up in a rural area I have known many farm people who have been injured or killed. Many missing fingers or worse. There was an accident in a silo here over 40 years ago that killed 3 in the same family. My wife's family owns a large farm with places in several counties and close to 300 employees. Fortunately they are very safety conscious and make sure that their people work safely. There are 7 owners of the farm spanning 3 generations with a 4th up and coming which will make it 5 generations. People don't really know what goes into the food they eat. If it weren't for farmers everyone would starve.

 

[Watertender]

I have worked in confined spaces all my life and take safety seriously. I check the air quality with a meter and have extraction equipment on standby at all times. I deal with high pressure steam and high voltage electricity and respect both. When you work with those 2 things you may only get one mistake which may be your last. I make sure that any hoisting is done with proper rigging and work areas are clear of debris and tripping hazards. I do not want to have to make a call to a family member explaining why their loved one is injured or worse.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Living is dangerous. Farming is only as dangerous as you make it for your SELF.

 

[Jeepnik]

I'd be interested in hearing what you have to say about jack stands. I have some mechanical work coming up on my 2002 Explorer. (biggest piece of junk I've ever owned. Belonged to my ex-wife. Bless her heart, for leaving it here with me. It's spent more time parked than on the road.) I need to get under it and all I have for any kind of safety measure are jack stands. I have used them in the past though.

Young GI, father of two went out one evening to work on his car. Only had a bumper jack holding it up. Jack failed and the driver side rotor landed on his chest. Apparently, he couldn’t call for help. Based on the bloody dents in the fender he didn’t die quickly.

 

[caryc]

If all I had was jack stands, I wouldn't get under any car. Simple as that.

 

[Ride1949]

Young GI, father of two went out one evening to work on his car. Only had a bumper jack holding it up. Jack failed and the driver side rotor landed on his chest. Apparently, he couldn’t call for help. Based on the bloody dents in the fender he didn’t die quickly.

No way am I getting under anything that's on a bumper jack. I have a ftiend who lost both legs when his truck rolled off of ramps. He didn't bother to chock the rear wheels. He had both feet on a cross member when it rolled off. Folded him in half and he lay there for about an hour, going in and out of conciosness before his wife came out and found him. You have to be smarter than the tools you're using.

 

[protoolman]

Yeah, getting under the car on any kind of jack feels creepy to me. I always back it up by using wood blocking.

 

[The A Team]

"we don't want to wait to put a trained team together."
That's a novel idea. Don't think I ever saw a farmer with a 'trained support team'.
One of the worst instances I can remember involved 3 generations of one family who died in a toxic gas filled manure pit. One family member after another gave his life trying to save the previous victim.

Manure pits are common death traps. There was a large family here that lost most of its male members like that.

 

[Jeepnik]

This may sound callous but here goes. If safety equipment is available and the hazard is well known there is no excuse for not taking the time to do things properly. Not only do you endanger yourself but those that have to save you or recover your body.

Not touchy feely but having been the one doing the saving/recovering I know that a price is paid every time you do.

 

[eveled]

Those do it your own self shows are what gets me. Every time they use a table saw, there is no guard of any kind on it, and they are supposed to be teaching people.

I see them using grinders with cut off wheels all the time with no guards and no safety glasses. Safety should really be a priority with these tv shows.

However there is a possibility the table saws you saw have the automatic blade brake, as soon as your finger hits the blade the motor locks up.

 

[caryc]

I see them using grinders with cut off wheels all the time with no guards and no safety glasses. Safety should really be a priority with these tv shows.

However there is a possibility the table saws you saw have the automatic blade brake, as soon as your finger hits the blade the motor locks up.

Even if my saw had that electronic safety, I wouldn't trust it. I would still use that mechanical guard.

 

[Gryff]

Farming is more dangerous than being a police officer or fire fighter. Sorry to hear about this accident. Farmers are the backbone of our country and may God bless them all.

A while back, I tried to look up the teacher in high school that had the most impact on my life at the time. Found out he had retired to become a bit of a gentleman farmer. He died when his tractor rolled into an irrigation canal and he was pinned underneath it.