Reciprocating-Mowing_Machines (Download)
Mowing Machines Purpose and Uses Tractor-Mounted Mowing Equipment Mowing machines for construction projects are mostly for long term sites that require maintenance in the form of site mowing and agricultural trimming. Keeping grasses at safe lengths so that equipment does not become lost or tangled in overgrown grass and bushes Keeping foliage from pushing off site Keep up appearance of the site Types of Equipment Mowers are removable and mounted on almost any utility or crop tractor in a number of different ways They can be mounted statically to the tractor, on a movable boom arm, pushed like a lawn mower or towed behind like a trailer Different Types of Blades Rotary Mower Long rotating shaft held in place horizontally with spinning teeth Reciprocating Mower Reciprocating blades much like a hedge trimmer that can be attached to the sides of a tractor Flail Mower Spinning blade can be positioned on boom arm to cut at almost any angle (traditional mower blade style) Safety Concerns People in the vicinity of mowing equipment Being caught in moving parts can result in serious injury or death Blades: sharp spinning or reciprocating blades can be very dangerous do to the threat of lacerations and amputations Hearing and Eye Protection should be warn to prevent injury from prolonged noise exposure and flying debris Dangerous Work Areas Steeply Sloped Areas: While mowing on a slope tractors are at higher risks for rollovers and loss of control due to sliding or tipping Unseen Hazards: Holes or objects that could tip the tractor Mud, water, or soft ground that could get the tractor stuck or even sink it Getting hit by traffic while along roadsides There were 7 reciprocating mower fatality accidents investigated by OSHA from 1990 thru 2009 Source: Extracted from OSHA Accident Investigation Data 1990-2009 Example Fatality Case Example Fatality Case An Employee was operating a tractor mower when the machine rolled into a ditch, hit a culvert, rose into the air, and then jerked to a stop on a cement driveway at the side of the road. The employee was thrown from the tractor and died. Example Fatality Case An employee was clearing vegetation from a 4ft drainage canal when he hit an unanticipated 23ft deep hole that was the result of unauthorized excavation. The mower dropped into the hole and the employee drowned. Example Fatality Case Three workers wanted to tighten bolts attaching a gear box to a mowing machine, so they drove the tractor up two wooden ramps onto a trailer leaving a portion hanging off the back of the trailer. They then raised the mower as high as possible with its built in hydraulics. One of the employees was underneath the mower when the hydraulic fluid leaked out and the mower dropped on top of him. He was extracted but died later at the hospital. OSHA Fatality Data 2007-2009 While trying to mow the side of a dam, an employee lost traction and his tires slid over the sides of the dam and flipped over. Due to the age of the tractor no safety systems were in place and he was crushed when the tractor rolled over There are no OSHA regulations that specifically mention reciprocating mowers Wear eye and ear protection Wear appropriate gloves Work Boots with non-slip soles and plenty of traction Wear hard hats when on site in open cockpit vehicles Wear high visibility colors when working along roads or in areas with poor visibility Safe Work Procedures Safe Work Procedures Always conduct a pre-trip inspection of equipment, tractor, and work zone Never Service mower attachment while it is still running Proper signs, markers and lights should be used to mark vehicles and cutting blades Safe Work Procedures Beware of presence of other persons, vehicles and surroundings while operating mower attachment Always look and use caution when backing up Whenever possible, use a tractor equipped with a Rollover Protection Structure (R.O.P.S.) Safe Work Procedures Only use tractor attachments on slopes and in places where they were designed to be used Do not transport passengers on the tractor or drag passengers behind the tractor Make sure tractor has a Slow-Moving Vehicle (SMV) sign, usually bright orange or red attached Safe Work Procedures Keep plenty of clean drinking water on-hand to prevent heat exhaustion and dehydration Always mow up and down slopes with any kind of ride on mowers Think Safety Work Safely