Please help with mower safety PSA

[mjncad]

Surgeon:

On the first page of this thread I recall seeing a bunch of boring engineering calculations (I used to be in the engineering business) and a suggestion by another poster to use a visual with a melon or other fruit to simulate an accident.

People are visual creatures, and a visual will make a better lasting impression than a bunch of numbers that people have a hard time relating too. Even astronomers have a hard time grasping the concept of 6-trillion miles +/- for the distance light travels in a year; hence the light-year unit of measurement.

Maybe a ballistics gelatin mannequin getting mangled by a mower will put more of a human touch to what you are trying to convey than mowing down watermelons.

 

[sandman2234]

First I applaud your efforts.
If this comes up again and you try the mannequin, be sure it is fully clothed and maybe even some makeup to make it really look like a person.
About 30 years ago I called my sister, who wasn't in, but the person answering the phone simply said "She has gone to the ER cause her Dad got his foot in a lawnmower". I jumped in the car and drove the 990 miles to Daddy's only to find out a rock had gotten thrown out and hit him in the leg and they were having trouble getting the blood stopped which is why he went to the doctors office (not the ER).

David from jax

 

[turbo36]

Surgeon, Do you see one thing by chance that could have prevented or maybe a common thread in the accidents?

How about not letting kids ride on your lap while mowing and to not let them operate dangerous equipment until they are mentally and physically able to react in an emergency? I grew up on a farm and operated lots of equipment at an early age but not until i could prove to my father that I could physically manipulate the machinery in a positive and timely fashion if something went wrong also I had to prove I knew the difference between normal and dangerous operation practices.


I'm sorry but I don't see any positive outcome of having a child on your lap while mowing it makes as much sense as having one in your lap while driving your car while drunk and talking on your cell phone!

 

[Toiyabe]

If you are still looking for scary numbers:

A 21" mower blade, weighting 2 lbs, spinning at 3400 RPM has about 1000 ft-lbf of kinetic energy by my calculations.

KE = 1/2 * (1/12 m L^2) * w^2
KE = 1/2 * (1/12 2lb * 21"^2) * (2*pi/(1/(3400rpm / 60sec/min)))
KE = 4,658,783 lbm*in^2/sec^2 * 1/12^2 ft^2/in^2 * 1/32.2 ft/sec^2
KE = 1006 ft-lbf

That's about the same as the muzzle energy of a .44 magnum, depending on load.

 

[Surgeon]

Toiyabe, Those are exactly the king of scary numbers I am looking for. Thanks!
Alan B, I think the common thread in all these injuries is a lack of respect of the machine due to ignorance of the power that these machines produce and the injuries they can inflict combined with the fact that we are all comfortable with mowers as almost everyone grew up with one and at sometime has used one without incident. Add to this that everyone is in a hurry today so that rapid hydrostatic reversals, zero turns etc all are the norm to get the job done quickly.

 

[BTDT]

I too would be rapt in attention watching the Mythbusters put Buster or other ballistic gelatin dummy to the test of riding mower dangers.


Now that's something that could get some attention/exposure for Surgeon's PSA and some publicity for TBN. I bet they would do it if the right groups (TBN, AMA, OSHA, etc.) requested it.

 

[California]

... suggestions for comparisons. ...

I was always impressed, in a frightened way, at the tropical coconut vendors who hold up a coconut in one hand and whack the top off it using a powerful horizontal swing of a machete in the other hand. That still gives me nightmares.

Perhaps some variation on this, ie hacking a watermellon or a tomato with a machete, could illustrate the physics of a mower blade on human feet. Maybe use this as the 'during' shot, and a photo from your clinic as the 'after' picture showing the consequences. An ad agency might develop this into an unforgettable, and therefor effective, presentation.

 

[BTDT]

I was always impressed, in a frightened way, at the tropical coconut vendors who hold up a coconut in one hand and whack the top off it using a powerful horizontal swing of a machete in the other hand. That still gives me nightmares.

Perhaps some variation on this, ie hacking a watermellon or a tomato with a machete, could illustrate the physics of a mower blade on human feet. Maybe use this as the 'during' shot, and a photo from your clinic as the 'after' picture showing the consequences. An ad agency might develop this into an unforgettable, and therefor effective, presentation.

Pitcher winding up and throwing 90mph fastball, switch to mower running over and throwing a rock out chute, switch back to catcher catching ball, switch back to kid in ambulance with head wound heading to hospital.

 

[keeney]

People always seem fascinated with the concept of being injured by the blade of a lawnmower, but there are plenty of other ways they can injure a person, especially children.

A lot of people don't realize how dangerous a collision or being run-over is for a child from even a small "riding mower", much less a lawn "tractor". Well, the small ones can still weigh a couple hundred pounds. Easily 5x to 20x (or more) the weight of a child. It is my understanding, many injuries such as broken bones in feet and legs are due to kids being struck or run over by the machines without ever being involved in the mowing blades. Kids chasing the machine get run over when the operator suddenly backs-up without lookings (and he can't hear them back there).

Roll-overs can be just as fatal on a 500 lb "garden tractor" as a 5000 lb farm tractor. Anytime you drop 500lbs of steel on a person, they are very likely to get hurt.

Then there is the typical broken foot of a small child that happen when riding on the operator's lap, the child decides to squirm free and dismount the machine while its moving. Their foot can easily get run over.

Some other common ways to get hurt:

As has been mentioned, thrown objects are a common source of injury (as well as property damage).

The small gas engine gets very hot. From personal experience, I know that it can burn the heck out of a curious young child's fingers (mine).

Gasoline stored in or near the machine is dangerous. The next step in a Jr. Fire-bug's progression after matches is gasoline...

Drinking oil, gasoline (or other fluids in larger machines) or getting it in your eyes or lungs can also lead to injuries or death.

Small lead-acid and NiCad starting batteries still pack enough punch to cause burns or fires if shorted-out.

Mower blades can be sharp, even when not running!

- Rick

 

[mjncad]

Then there is the typical broken foot of a small child that happen when riding on the operator's lap, the child decides to squirm free and dismount the machine while its moving. Their foot can easily get run over.

- Rick

You mean like my idiot neighbor mowing with his daughter on his lap as in the attached pictures I provided on page 2 of this thread?

When I use my gas powered weed whacker (Deere XT140SB split boom) I wear a long sleeve shirt, jeans, leather shoes, ear plugs and a hard hat with full face shield. I've had tumbleweeds hit my hard hat with quite a thud before that it's a bit startling. I've been using these flail type blades (similar concept to Bush Hog blades) that Home Despot sells. They work great on the weeds; but they snagged a small rock and sent it into my knee the other day. No injury; but it smarted for a few minutes. I may consider getting a pair of chaps.

Then I get a kick out of watching my neighbors trimming the same kind of weeds with gas trimmers and they are wearing shorts, sandals, short sleeve shirts, and no head gear. Granted, I can still get hurt; but at least I make the attempt to avoid a trip to the ER.

Better to look like a dork and be safe, then look cool and be injured...or worse.