Tractor fatalities

[grapevine]

I have investigated 2 separate fatalities in the last 4 years at landscape/nursery supply centers where loaders were equipped with material buckets to load mulch, but were also used for topsoil. Both operators accelerated out of the topsoil pile in reverse with the loaded bucket raised which caused the tractor to stand on it's nose, flipping the operators out of the seat into the path of the front wheel. Crushed skulls were the cause of death in both instances. Just an FYI. Know your tractors limitations and wear your seatbelt.

Grape

 

[dgl24087]

I have investigated 2 separate fatalities in the last 4 years at landscape/nursery supply centers where loaders were equipped with material buckets to load mulch, but were also used for topsoil. Both operators accelerated out of the topsoil pile in reverse with the loaded bucket raised which caused the tractor to stand on it's nose, flipping the operators out of the seat into the path of the front wheel. Crushed skulls were the cause of death in both instances. Just an FYI. Know your tractors limitations and wear your seatbelt.

Grape

Also be sure to use a counterweight/ballast box on the rear of the tractor.

 

[Birdhunter1]

Most importantly put your seat belt on, lucky for me on that type of accident my tractor is 2wd so if the back end comes off the ground it isn't going to keep on moving (under power at least). I am probably one of the worst at not doing this while on flat level ground but I should. Lately I have been remembering to do this more often, just spent 3 hours tonight shaving topsoil off of a hill on the farm for fill in my yard, I had my belt on the entire time.

Also keep your loaded bucket as low as possible till it's dump time.

 

[Kendall69]

Fill your rear tires or use tire weights, that will solve the problem.

 

[RoyJackson]

Fill your rear tires or use tire weights, that will solve the problem.

Not necessarily...
Even with filled tires, the weight in the bucket can overcome the weight in the tires. Filled tires and wheel weights might do the job.

As another poster wrote, if one is going to do loader work, put ballast on the 3PH. I like a ballast box, but a heavy box blade (500 pounds or more) will do the job.

 

[coolhl7]

are tractors inherently unsafe or are people inherently careless???
I bet most of us here DONT use our seatbelts, but I also bet almost everyone here would not do loader work w/o a proper ballast and loaded tires.

 

[texasjohn]

Grapevine, thanks for the reminder that trouble can happen and the consequences can be severe.

The point is to use all available methods to avoid trouble. If you use none, surely trouble will come your way sooner or later. The techniques, in order of my priority) appear to be:

0) instill in yourself and all around you who operate heavy equipment a "safety first" attitude and operational culture. Without this, all the rest is immaterial. Don't assume they know it's important to you... TELL THEM!
1) use seatbelt
2) don't get in a hurry
3) have "proper" counter weight for the equipment in use, either front or rear, loaded tires/tire weights/rear ballast/front ballast
5) have ROPS installed, in my case it is imbedded in a cab which provides further protection
6) when towing stuff, chain to draw bar and below rear axle of tractor.

 

[dirtworksequip]

ALWAYS,ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEATBELT! Even if you are only moving 5 feet. No one can anticipate an accident. You can have a rollover on dead level ground. It only takes a fraction of a second to BUCKLE UP! And it only takes a fraction of a second to get killed or injured.

 

[texasjohn]

Today I made some blocks to hold up the FEL hydraulic cylinders and bucket out of the way while I'm working on the engine/front of the tractor.

 

[dtd24]

I thought about this thread while using my tractor this weekend. I have to say, I never really wore my seatbelt. Now I do!

 

[Harvster]

I'm new to tractoring and I always wear my seatbelt. Maybe its just instinctive from putting it on anytime I get into a car or truck. I didn't wear it the first time I drove it (so excited I forgot I guess) and after about 1 minute I put it on because the sliding around and bouncing around reminded me. And that was on relatively level ground at low speed.

 

[Jstpssng]

I have investigated 2 separate fatalities in the last 4 years at landscape/nursery supply centers where loaders were equipped with material buckets to load mulch, but were also used for topsoil. Both operators accelerated out of the topsoil pile in reverse with the loaded bucket raised which caused the tractor to stand on it's nose, flipping the operators out of the seat into the path of the front wheel. Crushed skulls were the cause of death in both instances. Just an FYI. Know your tractors limitations and wear your seatbelt.

Grape

I worked for several landscapers throughout this state back in my younger days; there was only ONE company that gave a rat's hind about worker safety.
Just out of curiousity, were either of those tractors equipped with seat belts?

 

[N80]

I wear seatbelts in my car/truck purely out of habit. Do it without thinking. Not so with my tractor. I don't use it enough for it to be habit and for some odd reason it pulls from the right, which is opposite a car.

However, I _make_ myself remember and I always wear it. Quite often I start to rationalize that I don't need it for this or that little chore and I literally have to discipline myself to do it.

Last weekend the seatbelt folded in on itself and retracted that way and now it won't work. I'm going to fix it this weekend or have Kubota replace it, I think it is still underwarranty and even if not, my guess is that they'll replace it anyway.

 

[davemhughes]

It might just be me but I think some tractors are better suited to loader work than others. Meaning some seem more stable with the loader loaded up. I recently had 2 encounters with tractors with the loaders weighted down that just felt unstable, one of which up ended the tractor very sightly. Yes I have heard....put lots of weight on the rear. Looking to up grade what I have to something bigger and a key issue for me is basic stability. Been testing a bunch of different ones and there is a difference in this area between models and manufactures. Just think there is something to be said for a tractor with good weight and balance by design verses one that has to have "a lot" of weight added to make it stable with a loader. Plus it seems like a well designed weight and balanced tractor is more forgiving in just about all areas of operation.

A seat belt is key to surviving a rollover on a tractor......working hard to force myself to always wear it. Plus a healthy dose of self preservation doesn't hurt either.