Stump Grinder Fatality in FL

[Treeman14]

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2006/11/13/198643.html

A stump grinder is the cause of death for a man and a dog in Polk County.

Polk detectives said 26-year-old Robert Wagner was helping friends clear brush at the River Ranch Hunting Club near Lake Wales Sunday morning. A dog, believed to be a Doberman, came running by and got its leash caught in a stump grinder.

Wagner, from Port St. Lucie, tried to free the dog, but both got sucked into the grinder and died from severe body trauma.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Lakeland Ledger for more details

 

[Doctor Dave]

Seems so avoidable; too bad. Could never happen to anyone here, right?

Another accident waiting to happen:

Anyone store saw mix in their garage? An accident waiting to happen if you have a source of ignition---like a wood stove. While I don't store my saw-mix inside my garage (shop/home office), I did have a propane tank, spray paint, and other flammable liquids in there. The guy that came to clean the stove pipe when I was away working recommended moving all that stuff out to the carport, and my wife did. It just never occurred to me as a big deal. I've been meaning to get a metal vapor-proof flammables locker, but can't seem to get around to shelling out the dough.

 

[talon1189]

What a nasty way to die >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Talon

 

[vharrison2]

I had heard about the accident. Very sad.

 

[Ekka]

Bad, that's just bad and sad.

The operator was the guy who tried to free the dog right?

I wonder, was this a DIY where they hired the grinder?

 

[turnkey4099]

I was watching on TV a crew cleaning up after a near hurrican in Spokane yesterday. A take-down crew groundies were feeding a chuck n duck. I shuddered. One guy was carrying a big brushy limb over his shoulder and stuck the butt end in there!!

Harry K

 

[Ekka]

The days of those chuck and duck are certainly numbered over there.

 

[l2edneck]

I guess he never thought to flip the PTO toggle off and bury the wheel

That was exactly what my ole lady said,sometimes people panick and common thinking goes out the window.Obviously was the case for sure in this instance.

Poor guy,very sad,and what a horrible way to go.Condolences to his family

 

[turnkey4099]

The days of those chuck and duck are certainly numbered over there.

I think I used the wrong term. This was one of those big ones with a powered infeed belt and rolls.

Harry K

 

[Ekka]

Powered infeed rollers, belts etc ... they're the good ones.

Usually got some safety bars to knock it off when you're on the way in ... not that I want to test it.

 

[LightningLoader]

Yeah I'd been hearing about this. Pretty gruesome. Guy's dog got in there and he tried to save it. I think I'd just have to let the dog go.

 

[wagonwheeler]

Yeah I'd been hearing about this. Pretty gruesome. Guy's dog got in there and he tried to save it. I think I'd just have to let the dog go.

Wrist thru the leash end likely...probably couldn't get loose quick enough if he wanted to...

Very good reminder to me. I've got small kids and a big dog and plenty o' ways for them to get hurt if I'm not ever aware...

Chaser

 

[begleytree]

The days of those chuck and duck are certainly numbered over there.

A quick look at industry statistics doesn't bear that out. much the opposite. I remember the stats from a few years ago: 19ppl killed by self feeders, 0 from chuck and ducks.
it would seem the prudent thing to do would be to regulate self-feeding machines, if you feel you must do something....
But you're talking about outlawing a type of machine that when used correctly, is as safe or safer than anything else on the market performing the same function.
but this is about stumpgrinders in this case.

perhaps we should outlaw dog walking? or have a law with a fixed formula based on the human size and strength versus that of the dog and make it illegal to walk a dog that can pull you around? ever watch a young child walk a large dog and be nearly pulled into traffic when the dog decides to chase a car? It makes my heart stop watching that. My siberian husky (either of them) can pull me around. I am 6' 200lbs and a 60-70 lb dog takes me where he wants to go. the only way to hold him back is with a choker chain collar and to wrap the leash around a wrist....
Would such a law have prevented this accident based upon the (prob correct) scenario of the dog pulling the owner into the machine?
Whats a guy to do?
It all comes down to: you can't legislate common sense, and people who are not involved in the work need to learn to stay away. yes, we make it look too easy and too safe. we are outwardly relaxed, and others cue off that.
-Ralph

 

[LightningLoader]

perhaps we should outlaw dog walking? or have a law with a fixed formula based on the human size and strength versus that of the dog and make it illegal to walk a dog that can pull you around? Would such a law have prevented this accident based upon the (prob correct) scenario of the dog pulling the owner into the machine?
Whats a guy to do?
It all comes down to: you can't legislate common sense, and people who are not involved in the work need to learn to stay away. yes, we make it look too easy and too safe. we are outwardly relaxed, and others cue off that.
-Ralph

The only way to get around this would be to write a law where you were not allowed to wear clothes, gloves, jewelry, or dog leashes on your body when working around grinders.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

From the second link:

Santilli's 6-month-old Weimaraner, Maggie, was tied by a leash to a tree and got too close to the machine. Her leash became entangled, reeling her in, according to Wood.

A dog tied to a tree doesn't get too close to a machine... the machine is pushed or driven too close to the dog. Simple human error it would seem.

Ian

 

[begleytree]

The only way to get around this would be to write a law where you were not allowed to wear clothes, gloves, jewelry, or dog leashes on your body when working around grinders.

My point exactly. you either outlaw the grinder, or outlaw everything else. then outlaw the practice of nekked grinding.
Just going to have to have some sense and stay away from moving equipment to begin with.
-Ralph

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Like the thread about the porch collapse fatality, we're starting to make assumptions about how the accident happened.
The dog may have been running towards the stumper and the operator just decided to try to stop the dog. They may have both been pulled in at the same time.
If a cable were to get caught on a stumper wheel, it'd be about .5 seconds for it to wrap up and do the damage. The dog didn't get caught, then the operator ran around to save it.
Hindsight would say, bury the wheel, then try to help.
The fact that the article said he was grinding for a friend says to me, it was not a commercial operation, I bet a rental.

 

[km stumps]

danger with stump grinders

in uk when grinding stumps in public ,we use signs and red tape dogs dont read but it helps , also sheet up around machine and stump so it is fully enclosed , we use 4x 8 ply with hinges on that bolt together tight to machine so no dogs or kids can get near working end of stump grinder ,stops stones flying out as well