Look behind you.

[Walkin Horse]

Today I was moving a pallet of feed out of the barn to my new feed room. I had a spotter in front watching my forks going into the pallet. I was already nervous about picking this much weight in a tight space. As I was backing up I heard somebody yell. I turned around and one of my boarders was crawling on the ground trying to catch a dog. What I heard was her calling for him. She was on the ground and right at the lower links and behind the left rear tire. Luckily I was in low low just creeping until I got out of the barn. If I hadn't looked and looked down it would have been a terrible tragedy.

After I got done and thought about it , I went to her and ripped her a new one. I told her there wasn't a dog anywhere that was worth what could have happened. I told her I didn't appreciate her putting me in that position. Somehow I could see in her eyes that she really didn't understand what she did.

I feel like once I looked and started backing up my responsibility was to look forward and watch my load and the front tires so didn't hit any thing. I guess I need to rope off the area like they do at Lowes.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Women assume theyre seen, and that its your fault if theyre not.

 

[k0ua]

Some people have very low brainpower. As you said, she did not even realize she had a near death experience. I have seen several in my lifetime like that. They have no inkling of "what comes next". It is a mystery to them of why they were run over when they were in the line of travel of a large rear tire on a tractor, or why a firearm discharged when they placed their finger in the trigger guard and applied pressure..Some adults are like 2 year old children in that regard. It is sad.

 

[k0ua]

Women assume theyre seen, and that its your fault if theyre not.

It is not just some women, There are adult males like that too.

 

[s219]

I would have slapped her with a 2x4. Some people just have no clue.

 

[Happy Gilmore]

I can't begin to tell you how vigilant I have to be, I try to impress safety on my girlfriend around the farm, it's an uphill battle. She wants to help, but geez. I have learned to expect the unexpected. It's difficult enough with my children, I guess it's a learning process all bystanders. I need more eyeballs at times.

 

[Walkin Horse]

I had looked around because my 3 yo grandson was there but he was in the feed room with my dad. Even though she came out of nowhere, I didn't look down right behind me when I started. I just did the normal scanning look.

I have a girl that helps me a lot and she is very safe. As safe I guess as someone who normally works in an office can be. She and I talk about the plan on whatever task we are working on. I let her know exactly what I want done and and the expected results. In the last three years she and I have cut enough timber to saw a about 16000 bf of lumber. We have built a tractor shed,added three stalls to the barn, feed room and a tack room. In addition to hauling hay and moving equipment around plus all the other day to day stuff you do around a farm. So far , knock on wood , neither of us has been hurt too bad.

I am proud of our safety record at The Lucky Lucas Ranch. I don't like when people jepordize it. I guess I need weekly toolbox talks with everybody.

 

[s219]

You know, it sounds like a Dilbert thing, but maybe it would be good to have a basic safety meeting once and a while. There are many ways to get hurt on a farm/ranch, and it can't hurt to make sure people pay attention when they are working.

 

[tcreeley]

The pedestrian always has the right of way. Yes you need to look. If you hadn't been creeping- you would have run her over. Then what. She was bringing it on to herself- her carelessness, but you were operating the tractor. Your tractor would have done the killing. It is good nothing happened. Don't blame her carelessness for your inattention.

 

[Walkin Horse]

We weren't exactly at a pedestrian crosswalk. Once I made the initial look back for the grandson I was more interested in watching my load and not snagging something. I would have never thought about looking back and seeing an adult crawling around behind me. I guess I should have had a spotter in the back.

 

[motownbrowne]

We weren't exactly at a pedestrian crosswalk. Once I made the initial look back for the grandson I was more interested in watching my load and not snagging something. I would have never thought about looking back and seeing an adult crawling around behind me. I guess I should have had a spotter in the back.

I'm with tcreeley. It really doesn't matter if you're at a "crosswalk". It also doesn't matter what you're interested in watching. Your property. You're the operator. Your responsibility to ensure no one's injured. Part of that includes educating those around you. Part of it involves letting people know when they're being unsafe, but most of it is paying extreme attention to the path of your tractor, tires, and implements.

 

[boggen]

i can be a mean SOB, when on tractor, ya simple do not come near me, or you will either die, or i will chew your head off, if not able to reach over and rip it off with my hands. i will make the person cry. if they try and talk back... even if i can hear them i will completely ignore and act like i can not hear them. due to most of the time sound of tractor over whelms everything else. my hands signs will tell them to get the heck out of there and don't come back. end of story.

i tie the dogs up, when on tractor, to many close calls over years, there to small to be seen when right up on a rear tire. and spend more time looking around for them than actually getting work done.

if someone wants my attention, they stand complete off to the side, and wave me down, and only approach if i wave for them to come close to me while on tractor and it is at a dead stop. no exceptions.

============
working with another person, that you know is there, is a bit different ya work together to keep each other safe, and always keep a direct line of sight on the spotter / helper. and if they get in a blind spot, ya stop tractor and yell at them to get there butts in gear and pay attention. and to keep in line of sight at all times. and that they are at a far enough distance from tractor, and have a way to "easily escape" if need be.

some helpers / spotters, wanting to keep busy vs just standing there watching you/tractor, and try to end up doing something else. and that is about time, ya gotta tell them to STOP doing what ever! yes, you both most likely think it is productive. both of you going at it. but... that is about the time something happens. it can be a boring being a spotter / helper at times. but that is what it is. 2 folks using tractor a few minutes or 2 folks spending a few hours manually doing what ever... take your pick, not both.

there is no reason for a spotter/ helper putting extra stress on the operator of a tractor. by jumping and moving all about and doing other stuff between this and that. remember if you are the helper/spotter, they have your life in there hands.

=============
running over a 4x4 piece of lumber to a stump, to running over a person, the operator may never feel a thing or even notice that they did. till is well a few minutes later and the dead is done, and someone 7 foot under.

=============
i am all for folks getting out there and getting experience and learning and getting things done, but those times are more of a training excersise and the person on tractor and spotter/helper kinda go at a slower pace as they figure things out and learn this and that. but that is completely different thing than above.

 

[GPintheMitten]

I hope that I remember your post before I do something like this myself.

I think it would be important to instruct everyone around where they need to be and NOT be until I'm completely done.

I have the feeling there were just to many people around while you were doing tjis. I think the dog should have been leashed or contained in a room, stall or vehicle.

You can't rely on people knowing what to do.

 

[Walkin Horse]

You guys are giving me a complex about my operating. To make it clear I had a spotter at the front watching to make sure I got into the pallet. She is someone I trust and work well with. The lady that was behind me wasn't involved in the task. When I heard her yelling for her dog I had no idea where she came from. It was sudden and if I hadn't looked down I would have got her. Her but was right at the left lower link and I'm looking over my right shoulder.

I can see why lumber stores rope off aisles I have worked in some industrial plants where they tell you to barricade off all the real estate you need to work in. I don't think something like this is practical at a barn. Most times when there's a lot of boarders at the barn, I will go find somewhere else to be. But sometimes if I wait until no one is around I'd be doing stuff in the dark and by myself. I talked to her after I got done and got my thoughts together. With women boarders you can't give some of them the family treatment.

 

[dave1949]

I can understand you being upset, one bad accident could have a big impact on your operation. Maybe you were a bit upset with yourself too?

You can yell at people but that is not going to be a proactive approach. :laughing:

I would try to do tractor work when boarders aren't present, or like you say, close the aisle for ten minutes if needed. a spotter is a good idea.

A backup beeper is cheap and helps to alert others.

Wide view rear mirrors right and left is also cheap and useful.

I have to agree you are the person in that scenario that is primarily responsible for safety but it would be good to train and emphasize to all that safety is everyone's job.

 

[oldpilgrim]

Women assume theyre seen, and that its your fault if theyre not.

and then when you do look at them, they holler "what do you think you're looking at ?"

 

[Mace Canute]

The pedestrian always has the right of way. Yes you need to look. If you hadn't been creeping- you would have run her over. Then what. She was bringing it on to herself- her carelessness, but you were operating the tractor. Your tractor would have done the killing. It is good nothing happened. Don't blame her carelessness for your inattention.

I'm with tcreeley. It really doesn't matter if you're at a "crosswalk". It also doesn't matter what you're interested in watching. Your property. You're the operator. Your responsibility to ensure no one's injured. Part of that includes educating those around you. Part of it involves letting people know when they're being unsafe, but most of it is paying extreme attention to the path of your tractor, tires, and implements.

Bullsh!t!

Anyone other than a preschooler that gets down on the ground on all fours within three feet of the rear tire behind a running tractor that is obviously in use is fully at fault. She's lucky she didn't become a recipient of a Darwin Award.

 

[Walkin Horse]

Anyone other than a preschooler that gets down on the ground on all fours within three feet of the rear tire behind a running tractor that is obviously in use is fully at fault. She's lucky she didn't become a recipient of a Darwin Award.

Thanks Mace for the encouraging words. When I posted this I didn't really expect to get bashed for it. I only wanted people to be aware when backing. Also to look down. People talk about cab tractors and visibility. I think if I had been in a cab I would never had seen her.

 

[boggen]

Thanks Mace for the encouraging words. When I posted this I didn't really expect to get bashed for it. I only wanted people to be aware when backing. Also to look down. People talk about cab tractors and visibility. I think if I had been in a cab I would never had seen her.

if ya took me as bashing you. it was not meant that way. and if so i am sorry. just call me an old fart set in his ways. while no accidents have happened yet (jinxes himself), i have ran over tree limbs, etc... and never knew about, folks driving over calfs, baby dear, while out rotatory cutting, and not even realized they ran over it, till they look back and see chunks all over the place. ((they were bedded down more likely by mothers, for protection and would not move out of the way in the tall grass)), to folks thinking they can get in to a spot with a shovel while running backhoe, trying to help out. with that backhoe swinging there in blind spot and sucker moves to fast, to needing someone to spot me, but getting ready for next load, thinking i can see them but can not as i come back into the area. to other...i have no problem raising my voice. life vs death. if ya live in a big family (brother sisters), and trying to talk over each other, just consider the tractor the entire family and ya trying to talk over it, to someone clear across the room. just doesn't really happen. yell / hollar, don't speak up, but make sure they can and do hear you and can make out what you said. if ya need to get a "whistle" like some coach might have for highschool sports and wear it around your neck. have seen this done a few different times, more so with folks having soar throats. if it means drawing attention to you and more so the tractor, that is a good thing in my book.

 

[ruffdog]

When I'm out and it is just me and my dog, everything goes smooth. My dog watches me closely and does a great job staying out of the way with no drama. When my wife is there, she gets all worried about the dog, starts yelling and running around, distracts the dog, and puts everyone in danger.