Local 'accident'

[Jeepnik]

I've been through Bethany and Stanberry many times. All 3 kids went to NorthWestMo university in Bethany.
There are safety harnesses, safety ropes, and even remote control extraction winch set ups. Unfortunately, not many folks actually use them.

I sort of understand. As a younger man I didn't wear a seat belt, much less a shoulder belt. When I went into the service and became a fireman I worked an accident where a once, but never again 17 yo girl went face firts into a windshield, and another where a VW Bug rolled over and trapped the driver between the roof and the steering wheel. I've worn them religiouly since that time.

And don't get me started on jack stands. That's a memory I will never forget.

 

[unionprez]

I worked for a municipality in a city of 52,000 people for 36 years. Did industrial pretreatment monitoring industries for heavy metals and such. I performed over 500 confined space entries during my career and EVERY TIME we did one, all the rules and protocol were followed. No serious incidents and everybody went home. Cardinal rule was if anybody went down in the hole and passed out, you didn't go in after them. Very hard thing to do, but the next guy going in probably wasn't coming out alive. H2S (hydrogen sulfide) is a real killer. My condolences to the farmer and his family mentioned in the original post.

 

[Ride1949]

I sort of understand. As a younger man I didn't wear a seat belt, much less a shoulder belt. When I went into the service and became a fireman I worked an accident where a once, but never again 17 yo girl went face firts into a windshield, and another where a VW Bug rolled over and trapped the driver between the roof and the steering wheel. I've worn them religiouly since that time.

And don't get me started on jack stands. That's a memory I will never forget.

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.

 

[peachhead]

Hate to hear this. Farmers are one of the backbones of America. Hate to lose any of them.

 

[caryc]

Jack stands are convenient, but I always have them backed up with wood cribbing. There are no welds to break in wood blocks.

 

[Armybrat]

Family tenant farmer near Barnard severely injured his hand while hitching an implement to his tractor.
A week later he was demonstrating to his neighbor how he had done it.
You guessed right…. he did it again. 😅

 

[Rum River]

I was a fourth generation dairy farmer. Smaller operation so I left the life when in my late 20's for the factories and then a white collar job.

We farmers could be our own worst enemies as far as removing shields from moving equipment. Best advice was to just assume everything was out to get you. Our family was lucky and never had any deaths or maiming - but it wasn't for lack of trying.

Where I worked in the factories you could be caught in large machinery, chemically burned/killed or the old reliable just plain electrocution.

My farming experience saved my sorry behind more than once in those factories when I realized something was about to happen.

 

[caryc]

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.

 

[Dave P.]

Jack stands are convenient, but I always have them backed up with wood cribbing. There are no welds to break in wood blocks.

I also like wood cribbing as a back up to jack stands. Depends how big something is and what kind of work is going on under it determines how
much overkill I add to it. Had a brother in law manage to kill himself by being lazy under a Chevy Blazer some years back. His little daughter
was 5 years old at the time. Still remember when we all got back to his house from the hospital, her asking her mother when her
daddy was coming home. Might have been the saddest thing I've ever heard.
I always try to remember that heavy equipment, most equipment in machine shops, and horses, can't forget them, will all kill or maim you given the chance. All patiently wait for the opportunity.

 

[jack black]

Used to happen from time to time when dealing with sour crude. H2S gets one and others follow. Strict rules now have saved a lot of lives.

I’m surprised no one has come up wth a harness and safety line system that can automatically pull someone one out of a bin at the push of a button. Heck it could even send an alarm out.

Those systems do exist but most farms I have been on are accidents waiting to happen. SAD

 

[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.