# My good friend was run over by his skidder today...



## Oldtimer (Feb 14, 2013)

He is in Maine Medical Portland Maine in surgery right now...

He tried crossing the solenoid on the starter to get it running, and it was in gear. It started and he slipped. It ran him over @ the pelvis. A JD 540B with big cogged chains.

I don't know any more than this right now.

I have done this same thing hundreds of times...most recently with the JD 648D. And it could start in gear easily.

Be careful out there.


----------



## Wazzu (Feb 14, 2013)

Jesus man, sorry to hear that.


----------



## husqvarnaguy (Feb 14, 2013)

Hope he makes it out okay. He is lucky to be alive. I knew a guy that was starting his dozer while standing on the tracks and it ran him over and killed him.


----------



## lumberjackchef (Feb 14, 2013)

Man alive, I have been doing that on the backhoe lately. Makes me think twice about doing that again. Prayers will be sent! Hope he makes it out of this OK! 

Sent from my SCH-M828C using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Oldtimer (Feb 14, 2013)

Just got a call from his brother.

He had a "minor" surgery to put a pin in his femur...which was broken and the upper part was shoved up into his pelvis...and his pelvis is broken in 3 places. They have a 20# weight pulling continuously on the leg bone to extract it from the pelvis...traction I guess.
Then he will probably need more surgery for the pelvis...and they still have no idea if he has internal organ damage...but he's hungry and they won't let him eat because they don't know..
His circulation is fine, and he isn't paralyzed at all.

To make things 500 time worse, his father is dying of stage 5 intestinal cancer...
His dad is so bad that he can't speak more than 2 words at a time...he could pass at any moment.

The family is going through hell.


----------



## hanniedog (Feb 14, 2013)

Hope you friend recovers. He did however commit a cardinal sin in regards to starting the machine from the ground. They make remote starter buttons that you can clamp on the solenoid and stand out of harms way when activating the starter.


----------



## madhatte (Feb 14, 2013)

I knew a guy in OR whose uncle got clobbered the same way. Careful, all!


----------



## ROME K/G (Feb 14, 2013)

*Accident*

Dang! when it rains it pours! My prayers are with you and your family to deal with all this suffering. Keep high spirits and stay strong. Gary


----------



## northmanlogging (Feb 14, 2013)

Odin's blind eye! I do the same thing probably 2-3 times a week... I try to be carefull, I know its not smart, or safe, but it is quicker than climbing all the way on... or getting in the truck... or tractor, or skidder... it still worries me every time though.

I like that getting foreign bits of metal jammed into yer bones is considered "minor" now. 
If they got him in and out of surgery once. He's going to be ok once they put everything back more or less where it belongs... they are sadistic bastards is the only reason there not letting the man eat! that and maybe they plan on hacking him open again soon and sticking more metal in sensitive places. Bring him a beer and give the nurses hell for me!

on second though skip the beer and just harass the nursing staff:msp_wink:


----------



## 2dogs (Feb 14, 2013)

Dang! Sorry to hear about your friend. I hope he recovers fully.


----------



## OlympicYJ (Feb 15, 2013)

Hope he recovers OT! Sorry to hear about something so tragic.


----------



## mingo (Feb 15, 2013)

So sorry to hear about your friend OT hope he makes a full recovery.


----------



## slowp (Feb 15, 2013)

Hope he gets better, and the rest of youse, don't do that!


----------



## HuskStihl (Feb 15, 2013)

I am sincerely glad that he got off so "lucky." A broken pelvis will lay him up for some time and I feel bad about that. I do stupid stuff like that all the time and it may be time for a more serious re-think of my actions. Thanks for posting this


----------



## Dave Boyt (Feb 15, 2013)

"There but for the grace of God..." It sounds more dramatic when it is a big machine, but even a small farm tractor can do worse than that to you. I'm guessing that snow you folks had may have saved his life, that it cushioned him from below, and the tire rode over the top of the snow? Hope he has family and good friends to help him through this rough time.


----------



## Oldtimer (Feb 15, 2013)

Visited with my pal today after he came out of a 4 hour surgery...they bolted his pelvis back together.

His leg wasn't broken, like I thought. But it shattered the pelvis when it was shoved up inside.

The surgeon said he would be home in 3-4 days, and on crutches for 3 months. After that, he will be more or less good as new, save the normal aches and pains when bad weather is around.

But he has no insurance, and now no income...and his dad is almost dead...he's in some deep hot water.
But better alive in deep hot water than dead in cold dark dirt. 

Many thanks to all of you.


----------



## 4x4American (Feb 15, 2013)

Sorry to hear the news, hope everyything works out


----------



## redprospector (Feb 16, 2013)

I'm sorry to hear about your friend Old Timer, he has a rough row to hoe.
I went through a similar thing some years ago. My Dad survived another 5 years, and I can walk without a limp...most of the time. 
I'll keep your friend in my prayers.

Andy


----------



## demc570 (Feb 16, 2013)

prayers and good thoughts sent!


----------



## nhlogga (Feb 17, 2013)

Thoughts are with your friend and his family. This is exactly the reason I double check to make darn sure any machine I start is in neutral. This same thing happened to my grampa doing the same thing also on a 540B. He didnt getvhurt but I gave him heck about the skidder being in gear. Those machines are supposed to have a safety so the machine will not start unless it is in neutral with the park brake on. Unfortunately most have been bypassed and not fixed.


----------



## 056 kid (Feb 17, 2013)

Hope he recovers quickly. And hope hid Dad hangs on for a while, probably mean a lot to him to know his son makes a full recovery.


----------



## SliverPicker (Dec 4, 2013)

A broken femur is considered "life threatening" because of the significant risk of blood clots. He'll be back whackin' and stackin' in no time. It could have been much worse. My thoughts go out to him.


----------



## treeslayer2003 (Dec 4, 2013)

i'm very sorry to hear of this. I have done it many times. thoughts and prayers out to them.


----------



## catbuster (Dec 6, 2013)

Wow. That's terrible. I hope he makes a full recovery.

*Warning; safety rant ahead* (In maybe the wrong place, sorr)

But at the same time it's hard to believe that machine was left in gear. I get it's easier to park it in gear to keep it from rolling than putting it in neutral and setting the brake, but... I mean, it's not worth that small amount of time. Because things like this happen. And that's unacceptable. If it's a maintenance issue to where it's a requirement to hit the solenoid manually from outside of the cab, then it needs to be addressed. The scenario that precipitated that is unacceptable. Maybe I'm a 28 year old crew boss/mechanic who used to be a fire department guy, not at all making me an old timer, but it's unacceptable.


----------



## KenJax Tree (Dec 6, 2013)

This thread is from February im sure he's doing well now


Sent from my AutoTune carb


----------



## colson04 (Dec 28, 2013)

While I hope the guy recovered fully, I have to agree with castbuster about fixing the electrical issue that caused the event. We have several tractors on the farm, but all have safety caps over the starter solenoid lugs to prevent this event from happening. Equipment should be started with the operator in a position to be in control of the equipment (ie: operators seat). If the starter switch is broken, it should have been fixed. There are no excuses for putting off basic safety practices.


----------



## LAH (Dec 28, 2013)

Hope there's better things ahead for that family.


----------



## northmanlogging (Dec 28, 2013)

colson04 said:


> While I hope the guy recovered fully, I have to agree with castbuster about fixing the electrical issue that caused the event. We have several tractors on the farm, but all have safety caps over the starter solenoid lugs to prevent this event from happening. Equipment should be started with the operator in a position to be in control of the equipment (ie: operators seat). If the starter switch is broken, it should have been fixed. There are no excuses for putting off basic safety practices.


You probably wear chaps, hard hat with face shield, safety shoes, gloves, and earplugs right....

Some of us don't have time for that, or for crawling in the cab of a machine that's seat is 6' off the ground. Fact is its just easier to start the machine on the ground, especially first thing in the morning when you still have to grease it up, fuel it up, and give it a once over while she's warming up. Granted it is safer to crawl in and start it from the sitting position, its also safer to work behind a desk, sitting. Fact is **** happens, we all do what we have to to get through the day, the risk is on us. I'm betting the starter button was working fine.

no I don't wear chaps, special booties, a face sheild, and rarely wear glove unless I'm handling cable... then I wear gloves. Safety nazis be damned.


----------



## treeslayer2003 (Dec 28, 2013)

safety starts in yer head, that dude made a mistake plain and simple.


----------



## colson04 (Dec 29, 2013)

northmanlogging said:


> You probably wear chaps, hard hat with face shield, safety shoes, gloves, and earplugs right....
> 
> Some of us don't have time for that, or for crawling in the cab of a machine that's seat is 6' off the ground. Fact is its just easier to start the machine on the ground, especially first thing in the morning when you still have to grease it up, fuel it up, and give it a once over while she's warming up. Granted it is safer to crawl in and start it from the sitting position, its also safer to work behind a desk, sitting. Fact is **** happens, we all do what we have to to get through the day, the risk is on us. I'm betting the starter button was working fine.
> 
> no I don't wear chaps, special booties, a face sheild, and rarely wear glove unless I'm handling cable... then I wear gloves. Safety nazis be damned.



Easier is not safer. There is a reason they don't put the starter button on the side of the machine, accessible from the ground. You can't control the machine from the ground.

We've got 8 tractors, 4 skid loaders, wheel loader and a dozer and not one of them is ever started from the ground. Not worth the risk of someone leaving it in gear when they shut it off. More importantly, it's not worth the risk to your family. You don't save that much time starting the machine on the ground vs. climbing in, but in those few saved seconds, you could wind up like the OP's friend and find yourself in the hospital for several months, or worse. If you are the sole provider for your family, they not only lose you, but the income your provided to take care of the family. Depending on your life insurance plan (if you have one), most won't cover that event because you incorrectly operated that machine.

Yes, you are assuming the risk and you know there is a risk, but there are more people affected by this decision than just yourself.


----------



## Blazin (Dec 29, 2013)

colson04 said:


> Easier is not safer. There is a reason they don't put the starter button on the side of the machine, accessible from the ground. You can't control the machine from the ground.
> 
> We've got 8 tractors, 4 skid loaders, wheel loader and a dozer and not one of them is ever started from the ground. Not worth the risk of someone leaving it in gear when they shut it off. More importantly, it's not worth the risk to your family. You don't save that much time starting the machine on the ground vs. climbing in, but in those few saved seconds, you could wind up like the OP's friend and find yourself in the hospital for several months, or worse. If you are the sole provider for your family, they not only lose you, but the income your provided to take care of the family. Depending on your life insurance plan (if you have one), most won't cover that event because you incorrectly operated that machine.
> 
> Yes, you are assuming the risk and you know there is a risk, but there are more people affected by this decision than just yourself.




Remember 6' feet off the ground is a long way  Someone has to make the statistics.....


----------



## northmanlogging (Dec 29, 2013)

Actually a Deere starter button is easily accessable from the ground, in fact I'm not sure I've ever started it sitting down, same goes for the tractor, in fact the old 9n is a pain in the ass to start sitting in the seat, especially with a crooked foot... 

Life insurance pays off now matter how you accidentally you offed yourself, some plans even cover suicide, kinda the whole point of life insurance...

I'm done here, its sucks that oldtimer's buddy got hurt, we should all learn a lesson from it, and that's to be more careful, nothing more. With every risk comes reward, leave it at that.


----------



## Blazin (Dec 29, 2013)

northmanlogging said:


> Actually a Deere starter button is easily accessable from the ground.



Oh really, which Deere we talkin about? There's a 440D in my yard right now that says otherwise, unless you're 8' tall. Laziness is no excuse for life insurance. If you gotta death wish, quit ****ing around and get it over with....


----------



## treeslayer2003 (Dec 29, 2013)

meh, I can start my 540 from the ground and do so often. I can also make sure it is in park and do so.


----------



## 4x4American (Dec 30, 2013)

I start our NH TN75, Ford 6610, and Ford TW5 from the ground. Everytime I start them I double check to make sure they're in neutral.


----------



## nmurph (Dec 31, 2013)

northmanlogging said:


> ...Some of us don't have time for that, or for crawling in the cab of a machine that's seat is 6' off the ground...



Yep, and you won't get out of a six foot hole for an eternity.

I don't agree with every safety gizmo that babysits us through life. But to cavalierly dismiss common sense safety practices is foolish. Keep playing with fire and you WILL get burned...you can take that to the Bank of Darwin.


----------



## firebrick43 (Jan 6, 2014)

Remember safety doesn't just affect you. His family and I bet he sure wishes he took time for safety. Time in and out the have proven that ppe and safe procedures saves time by reducing injury time.

According to my calcs, 5 mins extra everyday means 20 hours a year. The gentalman that injured is going to be off at least a month which will take at least 8 years to make up for those 5 min a day it would of took. Does not even take account the time it will take to pay off the medical bills and lost income. 

Things like putting in ear plugs takes no time if you make it a habit to stick them in. Your wife and kids will love it if you are not deaf and have the tv blaring. Hearing aids cost several grand now. Never met someone with hearing aids say they were glad that they saved so much time. They all talk about how much of life they lost and wish they had worn hearing protection. If you find ear plugs uncomfortable your local industrial supply shop will have 20+ styles and one more will fit. I found the common sizes caused severe pain but once I found some Howard light lazer lites that fit my ear well I wear them 8 hours plus and even made if home forgetting them in. Always a pair in the pocket to the disdain of my wife doing laundry but she says nothing as she has seen what heavy machinery has done to my father and grandfathers hearing.


----------



## 4x4American (Jan 7, 2014)

howard leight laser lites are awesome, not very good at being washed they suck up all that water and dont dry out quick. you gotta good point


----------

