Standing on Platform on FEL?

[Suburban Plowboy]

I've been told you never stand on or under anything held up by hydraulics alone because of the small possibility of a hose bursting and causing the load to fall. On the other hand, I've seen a lot of people on the web, putting platforms of various kinds on FEL's, lifting them up, and using them as scaffolding. They stand on them and paint or cut limbs or whatever.

So what's the truth? Safe of not safe?

 

[LittleBill21]

only u can decide if its worth the risk, just like motorcycles boats planes etc.....

I personally stand on mine all the time

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

I just read that you can buy burst protection valves to prevent FEL's from plummeting fast.

 

[Torvy]

Or, you could brace them with angle iron if you are going to use them up for an extended time.

 

[zzvyb6]

Plus you probably need a skilled person to operate it and maybe keep the platform level if it's not self leveling. Forks plus a solid surface pallet makes a nice workbench, but don't trust it to stay put just because the loader doesn't move when unloaded.

 

[3Ts]

I consider using the FEL bucket or a platform on forks to be better than a ladder. However, FELs leak down so I don't plan to be on it very long. If a hose bursts, you'll be making a quick trip to the ground, but I know of people who have fallen off ladders. So if something goes wrong the results are about the same. I have a full set of scaffolding with safety rails, etc. that I use if it's going to take the better part of the day. Otherwise, if it's just up and back down, I'll use a ladder. If I'm up there for a while, I'll use the tractor bucket.

 

[deserteagle71]

Had that happen to me some years ago...hose on the forklift burst with a heavy load on the forks about 8' off the ground. Load came crashing down...luckily nothing fragile. Up to that time I'd been lifting electricians in man baskets on that forklift's forks up high to change out burned out lights. I refused to do that after I saw what could happen...made them use a manlift which has safety valves to prevent collapse in case of a hydraulic failure.

 

[Fladogman]

I work out of my bucket a lol . I don't worry about the hydraulics but rather my wife at the controls . Actually she's a great operator. I feel the chances of a hydraulic failure is less likely than a ladder fall.

 

[big bubba]

how old are you & how's the balance these days? esp w/equip in hand.
i'm up there in yrs myself, work solo, & prob take too many chances. but this would be the 1st question in mind, best regards

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

I'm old, but I'm okay to stand on a platform. I'm just concerned about it falling out from under me.

 

[big bubba]

wise thinking on the safety. please describe your tasks from the fel, safety always changes w/the task at hand. at times, working solo, i'll get up to the raised fel w/ladder & pole pruner for trimming, etc. a no no w/safety police, i know...

actually imho the risk of losing your balance, injury, etc, on the fel platform is far greater than any hyd failure (assuming your hyd joystick operator is competent)
best regards.

 

[manac]

First time my wife drove our new tractor was to lift me up today.
We’re using forks with a cheep basket, I’m in a harness tied to the tractor. Works great, just don’t tell her how much life insurance you have or it could get really hazardous.

 

[Fladogman]

I actually had a hydraulic failure while in the bucket of a John Deere 310. Fully extended when a metal hydraulic pipe burst. It slowly descended. I looked back and saw hydraulic fluid blowing out from behind the rear tire. My wife calmly lowered it down and I stepped out of the bucket.
Based on that experience I'm comfortable working out of a bucket

 

[big bubba]

a good note & glad for the safe landing. thinking the failure was in arms, not the curl, being potentially more dangerous. regards

 

[Thomas]

If you have doubts don't do it.

 

[Farmer495]

I personally do it, yes there are hazards as with anything else. I built a pole barn using two front end loaders and two ladders to do everything.

Make sure the tractor is on even ground
Make sure the wheels are locked (in gear, brakes set, wheels chocked if needed.
Make sure there is no one else around (kids, incompetent adults) that will fiddle with controls if you don't have a second person in the seat.

I've used an extension ladder to get to elevated bucket, far safer standing on something you can walk on than trying to balance on a ladder with tools.

The key thing in industrial settings is often the work platform being OSHA or gov regulation compliant with safety rails and/or harness tie downs. I've seen forklift baskets that the only thing holding it up is the cylinder on the mast. Regs usually mean someone must be at controls if someone is in basket.

 

[LouNY]

I was surprised as we often work out of the loader buckets is one time I had the rock grapple bucket on and it was nicer then the regular bucket to work out of. You do have to have some faith in tractor operator unless you are using a ladder to access it which I normally don't.

 

[5030]

What I did, was I took a used 350 gallon tote, took the liner out and cut the frame for a door and they have fork pockets so I use that as a platform. Works very well. If I remember correctly, it set me back about 30 bucks. I have no desire to fall out of a bucket and possibly kill myself.

 

[SmallChange]

I do this. I have a nice plastic pallet on pallet forks, with four U bolts clamping pallet to forks. I operate the machine by myself and use a ladder to get up there. My machine has low hours and lives indoors, and I'm a pretty light load compared to the machine's capacities.

For me it's a question of judgement. I'm pretty likely to survive a 6' or 7' fall, and I'm only doing this something like 4 hours per year, and I think the chance of falling is quite small. I think the other risks in my life (driving, illness, falling off the roof when blowing out the gutters) are much larger than this one.

Nearly all my seat time involves lifting or carrying loads other than myself, so if I burst a hose some day it is very likely to be while carrying those loads. And it is quite unlikely I will ever burst a hose.

I think taking a job working on such a platform all day every day for years and years would probably turn out OK but I don't like those odds. I think it's good if industrial work standards wouldn't allow this. But, then, I think I'd rather not take a job driving professionally, as I'm a bit timid.

Definitely on us to make our own judgement about this.

 

[jeff9366]

I'm old, but I'm okay to stand on a platform. I'm just concerned about it falling out from under me.

Kubota L3710​

1998 - 2002 Grand L10 Series Compact Utility tractor

The cotton, nylon and rubber hydraulic lines on your KUBOTA L3710 are at least twenty (20) years old.

I had two catastrophic burst FEL lines in the first ten years I owned my Kubota L3560.


You are financially finished if the FEL crashes with anyone outside your immediate family on it.