Skid-Loader Kills Farmer
As It Rolls Into Creekbed

In 1996 an Iowa farmer was killed while using a skid-steer loader to fill in a small waterway at the edge of a freshly plowed field. The right front wheel hit a depression while the left wheel hit a bump, and the machine rolled in a complete circle, landing upright in a small creekbed, with the farmer slouched in the seat.

The slope of the field was not steep, but it was quite rough. The man was not wearing a seatbelt, so when the machine rolled he was thrown partially up and out of the machine, sufficiently that his head was caught between the side frame and the ground.

The loader’s original ROPS (Roll Over Protective Structure) had been replaced with shorter side frames on both sides which provided no protection from the front, top and back of the machine. A local welder modified the ROPS at the farmer’s request to accommodate the height of hog buildings where the machine was used. The frames were made of 2-inch square steel and solidly built, but there were no crossmembers for overhead protection. Since the loader was used without a seatbelt, it indicates the hydraulic interlock had alsos been disabled. This interlock connects to the seatbelt and normally prevents flow of hydraulic fluid when the belt is not in use.

· 1. Owners of skid-steer loaders should not modify factory-installed ROPS, or built-in safety devices.

—Operators are in great danger from the bucket and lift arms if ROPS are removed or modified.

—These modifications made the skid-steer loader unsafe to operate under any circumstances.

· 2. Operators of skid-steer loader should use seatbelts or other built-in restraints at all times.

—Seatbelts restrain the operator in the protective zone of the ROPS, and provide protection from unexpected movement of the loader bucket or liftarms.

—The original ROPS and use of a seatbelt would likely have saved this operator’s life.

· 3. Owner/operators should be educated about the dangers inherent with their machines, including over turn hazard, seatbelt use, modifications of safety devices, and the potential for crush injury.