Snow blower accident

[Fod01]

I dont have all the details but...

My wife's friend's husband had an accident with the snow blower on Saturday.
It involved gloves with strings on them, and a couple amputated fingers. I have not heard how he did at the hospital, but of course hoping for the best.

The 'No loose clothing' rule applies around all power equipment!

Gabe

 

[Beer Belly]

Gotta remember that when the auger gets jammed, and the shear pins didn't break, there is still a lot of built up energy in that thing....stick your hand in there to pull out that little stick and WHAM....the auger turns enough to do damage.

 

[KodiakII]

Everyone repeat after me- I will not stick my hands in or have loose clothing around moving machinery!
Hope everything works out ok for them!

 

[Beer Belly]

"I will not stick my hands in or have loose clothing around moving machinery!"

 

[Thistle]

If the auger gets jammed I shut the engine OFF & use a stick or broom handle to clear it.So many bad things can happen immediately.

 

[Scols]

When we get a green guy on the boat one of the first things hes told is to take the drawstrings off his sweatshirts,foul weather gear etc.Machinery and strings are a deadly combination.

 

[FrankMA]

He must have stuck his hand into the impeller chute to unclog a jam or something like that. The safety features on a modern snowblower make it very difficult (but not impossible) to injure yourself unless the deadman style controls are bypassed or altered. As has been said, always shut the machine down and unclog a jam with anything but your hands and read the owners manual.

 

[mary lee Fantino]

SO,sad to see someone getting hurt,like this,my husband does the snow blower,i stay away from it,as far as our new pellet stove,love it did have a little noise,but so far the oil has worked,please keep your fingers crossed it does not come,back its like a slow train coming,,,

 

[TreePointer]

If the auger gets jammed I shut the engine OFF & use a stick or broom handle to clear it.So many bad things can happen immediately.

Same here. Long wood broom handle.

 

[firebroad]

Always a good--if grim--reminder.

 

[ScotO]

Happened to a good friend of mine years ago. I'll never forget it, either. And believe me, we hammered him about it. Why in the hell someone would stick their appendages anywhere near that part of a running snowblower is beyond me. The 2nd stage of a snowthrower is spinning way faster than the primary stage, and you aren't going to be able to get your hands out of there fast enough. Shut the damm thing off, and then USE A BROOMSTICK OR THE LIKE to loosen up the jam. After the jam has been loosened, THEN you can carefully use your hand to remove the debris........NEVER WHILE IT IS RUNNING, NEVER NEVER NEVER.....

 

[Bret Chase]

Damn Fod... that sucks.. sometimes people do stupid things.. sometimes machines do unfortunate things... like when my maternal grandfather was bucking logs... and the chain broke on the saw... and the chain somehow managed to wrap itself around his left hand....

 

[Wildo]

I work with a snowblower often in the winter and have stupidly cleared jams the stupido way. This fall while checking the manual for p.m sched. I came across a paragraph explaining that kinetic energy can be stored even after it is shut off for a while. Made me think for a bit, the second time I used it this winter I got to see the proof of this when a jamb cleared itself after I shut it off and was getting ready to stick it. Never ever ever put you phelanges in there if you like them.

 

[MasterMech]

THEN you can carefully use your hand to remove the debris.......​

NEVER!! Unless you are absoultely positively sure there is no stored energy in that assembly. Use a broomstick or similar to try and move the impeller. If you can move it a bit then you're ok to go after the debris. If it's jammed tight, use anything but your hands to get it cleared.

I've heard more than one tale of injury that included the line - "but the engine was off" .

 

[bogydave]

I have many hundreds of hours on this 8' beast.
Always lock the drive shaft before un-clogging the chute or replacing a shear pin. Always!

 

[MasterMech]

I have many hundreds of hours on this 8' beast.​

Pfft! Video or it didn't happen.

Holy Snowblower!

 

[bogydave]

Pfft! Video or it didn't happen.

Holy Snowblower!

Back in those working days, pictures weren't as point & click.
Everyone has their secrets & memories

 

[Thistle]

Personally I like this one best.

 

[BobUrban]

Holy Snow removal Dave!! I am not sure what I would be more afraid of - that thing or a Morbark!! Both would suck you right up and spit you out the chute.

On second thought - the Morbark, because you are standing in front of it's mouth to load it.

 

[MasterMech]

Personally I like this one best.

Helluva way to re-power a Simplicity Pro unit.

There is a guy that uses old GM truck 454's and rear-ends to build a snowblower.

 

[rudysmallfry]

My blower sucked up a sample newspaper that the local paper litters into our driveways every year. Thank goodness I had the patience to take it into the well lit garage, pull the spark plug cap, and use a broom handle to work the paper out. Stories like this always make me think twice.

 

[Ashful]

I have many hundreds of hours on this 8' beast.
Always lock the drive shaft before un-clogging the chute or replacing a shear pin. Always!
View attachment 93431

First, nice machine! Second, why lock the driveshaft? Mine states I should disconnect the driveshaft from the PTO. Seems there's the potential for stored energy in a sprung and locked shaft, than in one disconnected and lying on the ground.

 

[bogydave]

First, nice machine! Second, why lock the driveshaft? Mine states I should disconnect the driveshaft from the PTO. Seems there's the potential for stored energy in a sprung and locked shaft, than in one disconnected and lying on the ground.

The augers would be out of ballance with snow & move as I shoveled snow out of it to replace the shear pin.
The auger with the sheared pin would move any way as you shoveled out the snow. 1 moving part is bad enough, 2 doubles the risks.
Then I'd spin the auger to align the shear pin holes & the drive shaft stayed put.

When the chute got plugged, that's a whole different game

It was never dry, warm or sunny day work conditions. LOL

 

[MasterMech]

The augers would be out of ballance with snow & move as I shoveled snow out of it to replace the shear pin.
The auger with the sheared pin would move any way as you shoveled out the snow. 1 moving part is bad enough, 2 doubles the risks.
Then I'd spin the auger to align the shear pin holes & the drive shaft stayed put.

When the chute got plugged, that's a whole different game

It was never dry, warm or sunny day work conditions. LOL

How the hell do you even clog a machine like that?

Dave,

Airport or military?

 

[bogydave]

How the hell do you even clog a machine like that?

Dave,

Airport or military?

Remote oil terminal in AK,
Roads & 4300' runway in a heavy snow area