Anyone written to OSHA about your ROPS?

[oosik]

I am willing to accept the risks of not using my ROPS. It is in the folded position and shall remain that way. Like many - my tractor with the ROPS in the "up position" will not fit thru the shed door. Besides if the ROPS is up - I then must wear my seat belt. And I really do not think this thread wants to go in that direction.

 

[Oaktree]

My tractor lives outside 8 months out of the year, so the ROPS stays up. It doesn't really get in the way for anything, and helps deflect branches when I'm using the tractor in the woods. If the ROPS is folded down it rests on the tail-lights, would just as soon not risk breaking them.

I figure the risk of rolling the tractor while plowing snow in the winter is pretty slim...sometimes I'll leave it down then (tractor lives in the garage in the winter, so I have to drop the ROPS to make it thru the door).

The one on my old JD750 did not fold, I had a local welder shorten it so I could get thru the garage door.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I'd like to write OSHA a note about their ROPS requirements. Anyone have a snail mail addy or email for them?

My wife insisted I put mine up on this new JD 2025R because it doesn't go above my head like the folded one on the 1025R did. Well, I did and then promptly decided to back it up into the garage where the floor is flatter to adjust my bush hog cutting height. Bashed the eave in front of the door.

I promptly lowered it and left it down while bush hogging like I always did on the 1025.

Didn't have this problem on the JD 4010. It had non-folding ROPS and fit nicely underneath the garage doorways it needed to go into.

Now, OSHA has a requirement that the ROPS protect a normal man's head while drawing a line from the top of the ROPS to the top of the hood of the tractor (which may collapse on a rollover anyway).

If OSHA wants us to use these things, they should make the folding erected height to fit underneath a normal doorway.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do on the 2025 yet. If you get it cut down and rewelded, it'd have to be a precise job to get it to fit back in place. Thinking maybe I'll cut it off so the top of the stubs will just fit underneath the garage doorways. Think the stubs will be above my head and give some protection.

What's anyone else done?

Ralph

It is no big deal to shorten the ROPS at the hinged joint if you can weld proficiently. Just cut the un-needed section out and weld the pin point back on. There is a forum here where it was done nicely and I think it is as much useful as the original. If you are only taking out a few inches so it clears your garage door, there should not be a safety issue with it as most are really taller than needed to provide proper rollover protection anyway.

 

[bcp]

I was going to Sue Kubota because there is no warning sticker on the ROPS that says it will knock you in the head when the folded top comes down. But that thread went no where because most of the TBN ers thought the Thread was a Pin-Up of "Sue Kubota". Much disappointed they were.

There was a pin-up photo:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/safety/266380-sue-kubota-post3110094.html#post3110094



Bruce

 

[Gator6x4]

I was going to Sue Kubota because there is no warning sticker on the ROPS that says it will knock you in the head when the folded top comes down. But that thread went no where because most of the TBN ers thought the Thread was a Pin-Up of "Sue Kubota". Much disappointed they were.

Humans learn by doing things. I bet you haven't hit your head but one time by loosening the bolts that insure it remain in an upright position.

 

[oldballs]

Gator is right about the learning experience. And Bruce..........."Garumba", there was a "Sue Kubota" and she's wearing Kubota Orange. How could I forget a Pin-Up like that. Guess I'm really getting (got) old. An appropriate warning sticker like that might even get some readers.

 

[whis]

this thread is whats wrong with America today, we do something wrong or stupid and want to blame it on some else. OSHA doesn't give a rip how tall your garage is. 90 percent of all safety swicthes , warnings, and decals are because someone with no business using it was

 

[drizler]

this thread is whats wrong with America today, we do something wrong or stupid and want to blame it on some else. OSHA doesn't give a rip how tall your garage is. 90 percent of all safety swicthes , warnings, and decals are because someone with no business using it was

Oh you definitely got that right. Aside from that I will give them credit for their less than over the top ideas. Now if they could get the lawyers out of the design team all would be well. If it wasn't for their wonderful efforts to pick the corporate pocket then you wouldn't have 800 warning labels on a simple ladder. We might even be able to watch tv without being bombarded with their incessant advertising. Wouldn't that be nice?

 

[gladehound]

If your ROPS are too high and you want something shorter with as much or more protection you could make a 4 post ROPS/FOPS that is short enough for your garage.

 

[Wagtail]

...I will give them (OSHA/OH&S) credit for their less than over the top ideas. Now if they could get the lawyers out of the design team all would be well. If it wasn't for their wonderful efforts to pick the corporate pocket then you wouldn't have 800 warning labels on a simple ladder.

It's not so much lawyers in the design team, they're just trying to cover the OEM's arse from zealous litigation. Personally, I'm happy with my tractor having the ROPS, seatbelt and (believe it or not) the Operator Out Of Seat kill switch... everything else is an ignored decal.

The real problem is that "Safety" has become a government business. It's a business with litigation behind it and, because it is a government business, it has to annually justify its existence, 'cause if it doesn't the funding gets cut back.