iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

LOOSE CHIPPER TRAILER KILLS FAMILY!

Started by Ironwood, April 24, 2006, 01:43:02 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Ironwood

Just wanted to mention a local tragedy here near Pittsburgh. A Tree Co. trailer broke loose from the truck (NO SAFETY CHAINS) and commenced to veering and rolling over onto a van killing the father and two of his triplets(3-4 years old) the third survived but has a long recovery. PLEASE PLEASE check that equipment and insure it is legally and safely on the highway.  The driver/ co. will more than likely be charged with Involuntary Vehiclar Homicide. Poor family. I have in the last few years updated my trailer fleet to make sure EVERYTHING was up to legal standards. It just isn't worth the risk.


                   Thanks Reid
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

Mr Mom

     That is sad that a company didnt have the right safety equipment.
     

     Thanks Alot Mr Mom

CHARLIE

I lost a high school friend to a loose trailer back in the mid-1960's.  He hadn't been married too long and had a little baby.  Normally those kinds of accidents are preventable and you are right, not towing a trailor legally just is not worth it. 
Charlie
"Everybody was gone when I arrived but I decided to stick around until I could figure out why I was there !"

HARLEYRIDER

This happened in my town in the 80's. The towns public works dump truck pulling a heavy trailer with no chains hooked up . Killed a woman....town go sued bigtime... now, there is safety's on the safety chains

sorry to hear this still happens :'(
Greenwoods Timberworks

maple flats

I had a trailer come loose several years ago. The hitch pintle mount broke. Sure was glad the chains were in place. No damage done except needed new grade 8 bolts and drove nearly 6 ton tractor off and used to jack as the jack could not flip down because tongue was on road, no clearance. Sure was touchy slowing down but just used trailer brakes and it did not smash into the tow vehicle. Lucky while being unlucky I guess. It left a scratch in the road but was not charged for the damage.
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

logmason

My daughter, driving a mini-van, passed the scene around a minute or so before it happened. Her mother and I were pretty tense after hearing about it. She called a short time later to let us know.

The services were held at a school to handle the large attendance. Very sad.

Double check your loads and vehicles guys, only takes a minute.

I tie off my ladders and picks. Some use rubber bungy cords, the kind you see laying on the roads.
Been asked more than once, "why are you tieing that so secure, your not hauling it to Florida?", My responce is, never lost a load yet and not planning to. It only takes a couple of minutes to tie off.

rebocardo

Reid,

Could you please prove a link to that local story?  There is someone I want to see that story for their lack of using safety chains.

beenthere

rebo
Just let the local gendarmes know about his lack of safety chains. Sometimes the only way some people learn.

Friend of mine was all upset once when stopped in IA and the IA Highway Patrolman ticketed him for 'no chains' after he stepped on the ones he had and broke them. Something like rusted dog chain he was using, and the officer suspected they would do no good if needed to keep the trailer with him.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Ironwood

I do not know how to make a link, sorry. Reid
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

Jeff

Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Mike_Barcaskey

it's amazing more of this doesn't go on.
most tree services around here are real hacks with no insurance and pith-poor equipment.
just found out the other day one of them not only hit his customer's house with a big lead, but also hit the neighbor's house.
That's 3 mishaps so far this year.

terrible, terrible and NOT an accident.
an accident would have been if a deer ran out into the truck's path
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

rebocardo

Thank you thank you thank you for that link.

On a popular truck board a few people (vast minority) said they rather not use chains because it might drag their truck into the ditch along with the trailer.   ::)  >:(

Maybe this will save at least one life somewhere.

dancan

securing the load is just as important , about 30 years ago a bulldozer shifted on a flatbed going around a corner and killed a schoolteacher on her way to work .

Tom

When Charlie was in Elementary School,  his class was to get a new teancher from up north who never made it.  A log truck either lost its load or turned over on her car.

sawguy21

When I was involved in heli logging, one of our foremen was almost killed. He met a loaded logging truck on a forestry road and as they passed, the trailer pole came out fom under the load and peeled the side off his pickup. The driver had neglected to knock the ice off and ensure the pintle hook had latched. Somehow, the load stayed upright.
rebocardo, the people that think that way should not be pulling trailers.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

Paschale

A couple of years ago, I was driving down the highway and narrowly missed a big old chunk of scrap sheet metal that flew off the top of a dumpster hauling a loading of scrap down the road.  He was sending debris ALL OVER the highway, and everyone behind him was veering left and right to avoid a potential disaster.  This piece that was headed towards me was pretty big, and took off like a kite out of the guy's truck.  It was a case of what could have been, but fortunately, nothing happened.  Though who knows what might've happened a few miles down the road.   ::)
Y'all can pronounce it "puh-SKOLLY"

Frickman

Last week the same company had the left dual wheels fall off another truck. It was reportedly in poor condition. Also, the fellow who was driving the truck that lost the chipper admitted to taking stolen percocet pills and drinking the day of the incident. An accident reconstruction determined the truck was travelling over sixty miles per hour. There was no cross pin in the pintle hitch, and no safety chains. A tragedy that didn't need to happen.   :(
If you're not broke down once in a while, you're not working hard enough

I'm not a hillbilly. I'm an "Appalachian American"

Retired  Conventional hand-felling logging operation with cable skidder and forwarder, Frick 01 handset sawmill

Pretend farmer when I have the time

Ron Scott

A shame! Now all transport owners will have to pay more with tighter DOT inspections of their rigs due to such negligence of some. Probably for the better if there is such a current lack of trucking safety.
~Ron

rebocardo

> There was no cross pin in the pintle hitch

Considering how they latch, you wonder how it was left open to lose the lunette. As the worse he could have stuck a screw driver in there and bent down the driver end (someting I did when I lost my pin off-road). Or even used 1/4 in bolt in there.

This is what happens when you do drugs and drive. You don't think.  I wonder if he feels remorse?


VA-Sawyer

I noticed that one of the tree service guys that brings me logs was pulling a 14,000 lb trailer on a standard hitch. The receiver was rated 10,000 Weight Distributing and 5,000 Weight Carrying. The trailer had electric brakes, but he didn't have a controller in the truck. After I pointed out some of the dangers and liabilities he decided he needed to upgrade.  I installed a Reese Class V receiver and the new Reese heavy duty Weight Distributing hitch. Also installed a brake controller .  That is one very impressive towing package. I would recomend it to anyone towing 10,000 lb and heavier loads. He used to travel on back roads when heavy due to the swayng. Now he pulls heavy loads down the Interstate with confidence.  I'm happy knowing he is so much safer now.
Note: I'm not in the hitch business, but I have done my share of towing. I've installed a number of receivers/hitches for friends and family over the years. So many people don't verify the weight ratings for each piece of towing gear.  A tow system is only as strong as its weakest link.   Lets keep the roads safe for everyone.
OK I'll get down off the soapbox.
VA-Sawyer

ronwood

VA-Sawyer,

What type of hitch woudl you recommed for a gooseneck?

Thanks
Ron
Sawing part time mostly urban logs -St. Louis/Warrenton, Mo.
LT40HG25 Woodmizer Sawmill
LX885 New Holland Skidsteer

VA-Sawyer

Ron,
I hate to say this, but I really don't know much about goosneck setups.  I have a little experience with 5th wheels, (My dad really likes his 20K Reese 5th wheel a lot .) , and a fair amount of tag-along experience, but no real experience towing with a gooseneck.
One thing I will say about towing setups... If you have a proper towing setup with a correctly loaded trailer and a properly adjusted trailer braking system then you shouldn't have any of that 'white knuckle' feeling while pulling a load.  Even with 14,000 lbs  of trailer behind his pickup, Dan says it is rock solid on the highway and he can almost forget that it is there.
The most common mistake I see, is people pulling a trailer that is close to the tow vehicles max rated load without using a Weight Distributing hitch. A W.D. hitch with a anti-sway rod is much more stable during a panic stop or when towing in windy conditions.  Another thing, don't skimp on the brake controller when towing electric brakes. Get a good one and learn how to adjust it for various tow weights and speeds. Ford really has a neat setup with the built in controller on the new Super-Duty trucks. It is tied into the powertrain computer and is constantly automaticaly adjusting itself for vehicle speed and braking load. It fixes the problem of needing to adjust the controller up for highway towing and dialing it back down in stop and go traffic to keep it from jerking you around.
VA-Sawyer

sawguy21

Quote from: ronwood on May 23, 2006, 02:47:51 PM
VA-Sawyer,

What type of hitch woudl you recommed for a gooseneck?

Thanks
Ron


I suggest staying away from the post and ball setup common on horse trailers for heavy loads. It is more convenient when the trailer is not being used but I have had bad experience with the trailer jerking back and forth because the post was flexing.  Mind you, the loaded trailer was almost 14000 lb. Fifth wheel is much better.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

Thank You Sponsors!