2nd local fatality in a week

[Jehinten]

I wonder if the controls were fully functional.

I've wondered this as well, although I doubt we'll ever hear.

 

[Jehinten]

There was an updated article today on this incident. The only new info was the deceased name and that the cause of death was internal crushing injuries.

 

[Jehinten]

Maybe more than most wish to pay for the same capability, but this accident is a good argument for a fully enclosed cage type of setup, I would think. Probably a lot more difficult to get in and out of too, though.

Too bad. Condolences to the friends and family.

I'm not sure that a cage system would be good for a mini skid. When I first bought my mini I flipped it a couple of times. Once nosed forward and a couple to the side on side slopes. It's a wheeled mini skid which is likely more susceptible to tipover...

On each of the occasions I was able to step off of the machine during the tip over. I wouldn't want to remove that as an option.

 

[Reach]

I'm not sure that a cage system would be good for a mini skid. When I first bought my mini I flipped it a couple of times. Once nosed forward and a couple to the side on side slopes. It's a wheeled mini skid which is likely more susceptible to tipover...

On each of the occasions I was able to step off of the machine during the tip over. I wouldn't want to remove that as an option.

I would agree with that. I don’t want to be battered about in a cage, I’ve stepped off twice when I rolled a tracked Vermeer over on its side. I’ve ridden them through a number of forward tips, where I stood the machine up with the tracks nearly vertical.

 

[AdkEric]

At the last company I worked for, I ran a Bobcat MT55. It had a hinged plate between the controls and operator's platform that if bumped, while operating in reverse, would stop the machine. Do other brands feature such a plate?

 

[Reach]

At the last company I worked for, I ran a Bobcat MT55. It had a hinged plate between the controls and operator's platform that if bumped, while operating in reverse, would stop the machine. Do other brands feature such a plate?

Not that I am aware of, I’ve never seen one on any machine I’ve run. The MT85 doesn’t have that plate, either. I think they were more common on walk behind machines, not so much on the stand on machines.

 

[AdkEric]

I think they were more common on walk behind machines, not so much on the stand on machines.

That makes sense. I haven't run the larger stand on machines, I wonder if such a thing could be implemented by manufacturers in a way that is practical.

 

[Reach]

That makes sense. I haven't run the larger stand on machines, I wonder if such a thing could be implemented by manufacturers in a way that is practical.

I’m not sure, it seems it would be hard to make it so that you didn’t hit it every time you hit a bump.

Instead, the larger machines usually have plenty of steel on both sides of the operator, which is more than sufficient to keep the operator safe from injury if you back into something. The only place that won’t save you is backing under something fairly high, like the outrigger of a National crane.

 

[Jehinten]

At the last company I worked for, I ran a Bobcat MT55. It had a hinged plate between the controls and operator's platform that if bumped, while operating in reverse, would stop the machine. Do other brands feature such a plate?

I've rented a toro 425tx that had the same setup. It was also a walk behind with an optional flip down platform

 

[ATH]

That makes sense. I haven't run the larger stand on machines, I wonder if such a thing could be implemented by manufacturers in a way that is practical.

There could be a bumper on the back that could disengage drive. Of course, that could be done on any vehicle...

 

[evo]

Damnit... I thought I broke my leg doing this, looking over my shoulder backing up in a arc. I backed myself right into the trailer tongue, and did that classic 'Oh fuck' thing. Stopped the machine after stopping and pulled the lever the wrong way slamming my leg in the same spot even harder.
Now turn my feet 90 degrees when backing

 

[evo]

There could be a bumper on the back that could disengage drive. Of course, that could be done on any vehicle...

this can go both ways though. many times on steeper transitions I'll drag the platform.

 

[Jehinten]

Sheriff's Office conducts Death Investigation at local Job Site

On 12-02-2022, at 10:17 AM, deputies were dispatched to 14300 Bickmeier Rd. in reference to a death investigation. A tree trimming service crew was working at the job site when a 41 year old male operating a skid steer backed into an outrigger. The male was pulling a log as he backed up and was...

vanderburghsheriff.org

Attached is the picture that was shown on the FB post. Hopefully more info will come out, to determine exactly how this happened.

I feel it's not often that you actually get more info after the fact with these kind of situations, but I heard the owner of the company touch on this for a moment today.

The injuries to his employee was a broken pelvis that ruptured his aorta. My wife (a nurse with a much better understanding of the anatomy than me) said that he would have died of internal bleeding in seconds.

As the news story stated, the company owner confirmed that he had backed a mini skid into the cross beam of the crane's outrigger.

Apparently the employee was familiar with operating a mini skid, but was used to operating a Ditch Witch and they had just purchased the Vermeer. I suspect the difference in machines had very little to do with the incident.

 

[evo]

I feel it's not often that you actually get more info after the fact with these kind of situations, but I heard the owner of the company touch on this for a moment today.

The injuries to his employee was a broken pelvis that ruptured his aorta. My wife (a nurse with a much better understanding of the anatomy than me) said that he would have died of internal bleeding in seconds.

As the news story stated, the company owner confirmed that he had backed a mini skid into the cross beam of the crane's outrigger.

Apparently the employee was familiar with operating a mini skid, but was used to operating a Ditch Witch and they had just purchased the Vermeer. I suspect the difference in machines had very little to do with the incident.

That level of detail is surprising! Damn, I’ve made this mistake, backing into a trailer coupling. Like a noob and a hitch I reacted by pulling the control lever harder.
I can see being unfamiliar with different controls being a factor. But have never compared the two machines in that way.