Jim's Mowing Operator Found

[RSM-Gazza]

Unusual Story this one, missing for a reported 40hrs and then found in a crash, Good to see that he has been found and will recover, re the information at hand from reading the reported story.


http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/missing-jims-mowing-man-leigh-morgan-found-after-car-accident/story-fnhocxo3-1226934581109#itm=newscomau%7Chome%7Cnca-homepage-network-most-popular-masthead%7C1%7Cjims-mowing-man-found-after-crash%7Chomepage%7Chomepage

[Bluey]

A sobering story for all operators who work in more remoter areas

[bb1]

Interesting, I often work on unoccupied properties in the hills around here, and have thought what would happen if I tipped the mower or had some other kind of accident, it's just one of those things we do I guess.

[AJD Mowing]

Years ago in Tassie a father was in the bush with his young son cutting firewood and a tree fell on the father. The father told his son to go get help and by the time the son had found help and got back the devils had half eaten him

[Cranbourne Lawnmowing]

Yes we are in an industry where we can be working in situations without anyone being around for hours on end. If anything does go wrong we could find ourselves all alone. It is a worry but unfortunately it goes with the job.

[joeymoey]

I was speaking with WorkSafe regarding this.

They basically said it's a big no-no working solo for this reason.

With most contractors owning phones/iPhones I'd expect that we could be in contact with 000 relatively quickly.

Also if there's a job where you're worried about rolling off the hill do one of the following:

1. Use a more appropriate tool(whippy/slasher)
2. Have a system where you call a friend or home letting them know if you don't call in 2-3 hours to come and check up on you
3. Get an emergency buzzer like the older people have
4. Say no to the job, there's no point dying on a job for a few coins.

[fairdinkum]

Joey I like option 4

[GardeningSolutions]

I'll call a mate if I'm tree trimming before I start and later at an organised time. Plan is if I don't call somethings wrong and theyre call me, no answer then come see if theres a problem.

[Cranbourne Lawnmowing]

Not that I want to harp on about it but the biggest thing that worries me is ..what if you have a heart attack in someones backyard or an accident that happens suddenly and leaves you unable to call someone. Its not like we can let someone know the address we are at for every job we are at...or can we ?
Ideally it would be good if there was a gadget we could attach to our wrist ..for instance that would set off like an alarm system alerting a home base and give coordinates to your location.

[PaulG]

The closest thing I've found is a phone app called "Emergency+'. If you have it on the homescreen of your phone it's three screen taps to call 000. One to 'wake up' your phone, one to select the app, and one to alert 000. It works off a very precise GPS locator. Thing is I don't always have my phone on me. I quite often leave it in the glovebox.

Also keep a well stocked first aid kit.

And in your phone-contacts put your next of kin as 'ICE Jane Smith' (Emergency responders I believe have been trained to look for this ICE = In Case of Emergency)

https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/emergency-+/id691814685?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.threesixtyentertainment.nesn

[RSM-Gazza]

Glenn, The Apple wristband App unit that they say is coming next year may have that ability

2 yrs ago I had a serious accident on a nature strip whilst working at a customers house, the customer does not know about it.
There also was a male walker passing by just as it happened and he saw it unfold and continued to walk on.

I sliced an open wound 6cm long on my upper head down to the skull and to a close eye the skull bone was visible and scraped.
I knew I was in trouble and rang my daughter who works for a Medical Clinic and is studing an Advanced Diploma in Dermatological Science.
Lucky she was not working and was 15 mins away max, Failing her availability I would have called 000.

I was feeling kinda OK to a point and finished the job whilst waiting, as I was so close to finishing the mowing and then blower clean up. So I pressed a dirty rag into the wound to stem the bleeding that dripping down my head as l finished the job. Invoiced it that evening.
When me daughter arrived she said it was bad and got to me to our doctors clinic straight away. Was taken in to the nurses room immediately when they saw the wound and blood leakage.
Got out of the doctors at 6.15pm and he now had a back log of patients to see as they were put on hold because of me. He was to go for dinner with his wife being a Friday evening, yeap apologised for stuffing it up for him.
He gave me his personal Mb No to ring if this or that happened as he was worried of complication or bleeding on the brain. As he would organise instant in with the Hospital.

Was lucky that incident didn't knock me out or bring on concussion.
It's made me more aware of accidents and has made me 100% more aware when near my rig, especially on ground that has an incline.

We do work in a mine field of accident/incident prone potential in our environmental conditions, especially with equipment and the broad rim hats blocking perifial vision.
Yeap, I have gruesome picture on file.

[joeymoey]

Glenn, The Apple wristband App unit that they say is coming next year may have that ability

2 yrs ago I had a serious accident on a nature strip whilst working at a customers house, the customer does not know about it.
There also was a male walker passing by just as it happened and he saw it unfold and continued to walk on.

I sliced an open wound 6cm long on my upper head down to the skull and to a close eye the skull bone was visible and scraped.
I knew I was in trouble and rang my daughter who works for a Medical Clinic and is studing an Advanced Diploma in Dermatological Science.
Lucky she was not working and was 15 mins away max, Failing her availability I would have called 000.

I was feeling kinda OK to a point and finished the job whilst waiting, as I was so close to finishing the mowing and then blower clean up. So I pressed a dirty rag into the wound to stem the bleeding that dripping down my head as l finished the job. Invoiced it that evening.
When me daughter arrived she said it was bad and got to me to our doctors clinic straight away. Was taken in to the nurses room immediately when they saw the wound and blood leakage.
Got out of the doctors at 6.15pm and he now had a back log of patients to see as they were put on hold because of me. He was to go for dinner with his wife being a Friday evening, yeap apologised for stuffing it up for him.
He gave me his personal Mb No to ring if this or that happened as he was worried of complication or bleeding on the brain. As he would organise instant in with the Hospital.

Was lucky that incident didn't knock me out or bring on concussion.
It's made me more aware of accidents and has made me 100% more aware when near my rig, especially on ground that has an incline.

We do work in a mine field of accident/incident prone potential in our environmental conditions, especially with equipment and the broad rim hats blocking perifial vision.
Yeap, I have gruesome picture on file.


Can I ask, how did you cut yourself open?

[RSM-Gazza]

No Problems,

My trailer has the curb side opening tool box pictured, picture taken at home for explanation purpose was taken before I started out and was at fit out stage.

Was at a property with a deeper than normal nature strip gutter drop off, but not massively deep in the drop off.
The road/nature strip had an incline which was up hill to left of the picture had the picture been taken onsite.
Plus the trailer where the jerry cans where were parked just to edge of the customers driveway and bolt was above the nature strip. Major loss of clearance going up to nature strip level and street having an incline upwards.

I needed some fuel from the 5ltr jerry can and I had ducked under the opening toolbox lid entering from the right. But the clearance was higher to the right of picture and narrowed to the left. As I walked to left head clearance diminished, I was probably in a slight rush and the real catalyst was the wide brim school sunhat I had on that blocked my peripheral vision.

The pictured extruding adjustable bolt for the locking adjustment tore through my hat and head. Needless to say the protruding bolts are now shaved off flush and rounded. I pay a lot a care to that area of my worksite now and never rush.



Bolt highlighted (red arrow).

http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy295/fish475/Headinjury12_zps6d036de5.jpg (http://s801.photobucket.com/user/fish475/media/Headinjury12_zps6d036de5.jpg.html)






Think we are all tough enough for this picture to be posted.
http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy295/fish475/Headinjury11_zps1559d318.jpg (http://s801.photobucket.com/user/fish475/media/Headinjury11_zps1559d318.jpg.html)



[

[PaulG]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggghhhhhhhhh! ;)

[DavidS]

Lucky you where wearing a hat, imagine what the out come would have been if no hat. I did the same on one of these wall mounted air conditioners, sat me on my bum and I had some blood but not like yours. BUGGA

[Matt1972]

I walked into a fold out window. Put me on backside and I was a little dazed, but not much damage luckily. I'd walked past the window on my way out the back and they must have popped the window out before I came back. Usually it's wall mounted fold out clothes lines, peg baskets and low branches. It's the peak of the hat that seems to block the view.

[RSM-Gazza]

Lucky you where wearing a hat, imagine what the out come would have been if no hat. I did the same on one of these wall mounted air conditioners, sat me on my bum and I had some blood but not like yours. BUGGA

The $6 hat actually did not tear, just my head but I was wearing the hat. Humm.

Last xmas I walked into a low air con unit too and actually had head pains and a mark/soft spot on my head for days. Felt worse from the air con incident than slicing me head open. After the head slice incident the doctor said I couldn't go back to site and drive my rig home.
I said Bullsh*t I'm not leaving my fully equipped rig and hilux in the street on any night, let alone a Friday Night.
He said get your family to drive it home, I said my whole family are females who can't drive manuals.
So he said how far from home, 3km's max. So he said get your daughter to take you back to it and drive very carefully with your daughter driving behind you.
The worst thing was it being a Hot Friday night and I couldn't have a cold frothie due to medic's given.
But I had a beer Saturday Night as I would have passed away without one.

Edit; When I get older than I already are and if I ever loose my hair, I'll be able to tell long nose stories of how the Scar on my head got there.
So if your gona do an injury never have it happen on Friday. Probably Tuesday might be better if its gona be.

[RSM-Gazza]

Surely there must be App to prevent our deliemma with these brimmed hats.

[PaulG]

I've done it so many times too. I've been seeing a chiropractor for the last few months for my neck because of walking into branches on two particular Jacaranda and Qld Bottle Trees...

[imoww]

I now wear the base ball cap with heaps of block out around the neck because of incidents like this.

[DavidS]

Baseball caps don't really help either as I have walked into branches and air conditioner also with them on, it's better to wear a wide brim hat to protect you from the sun.

[RSM-Gazza]

X2

The daughter I mention works in a Skin Cancer/Cosmetic clinic and is studying that field to be nurse working beside a specialist doctor in that field, whilst being supported by her employer.
Our family gets the special treatment of that clinic and general GP if needed for nicks. So my wife goes for the cosmetic treatments, I'm good looking enough to not need that; lol !!!

Believe me you don want a melanoma and get ones self a skin cancer check boys & girls. When your applying your Suntan Lotion and I only use one product now, one that my daughter gets me. Apart from applying it to the usual areas apply around the lips too, - that's my rant for today.
Got to go and get ready for work, bugger working Sat + Monday over the long weekend as I can't seem to catch up at moment.

Edit 8.12 am Saturday just now and the phone rings asking to come out and mow the lawns front and back today nearby for a new person, which I knocked back like every other call this week. It's winter and internet requests + phone calls still coming at approx three a day from new people??? Then I speak to a Jim's operator three days ago who's going overseas for a month.

[Bluey]

I reckon base ball caps are worse

[Redeye]

I agree Bluey, I wear the wide brim hat that Dean sells with cut-outs for ear muffs and neck flap

[PaulG]

Same here re baseball caps. Not enough coverage for me Also tried the hat from Dean. Good design but could be better as it I still don't find the brim bug enough and it doesn't sit down far enough on my head. Maybe I just have a big, mong head! :) .

Biggest straw hat I can find is what I've gone back to. Usually one from the surf-shop or the big ones BigW usually sell around Australia day. But yeah, they are a hindrance when working around low objects. I only have a few jobs where this is an issue so what I've done is just loop a piece of fluoro ribbon around branched etc so I see it hanging down to remind myself of the tree branch etc!

[imoww]

I know what you guys are saying. Ive always used the straw hat from bunnings or Bi w.
Last year was the old army bush hat. ( looks like a jim)

[BSD]

7555 Or this one!

[Cranbourne Lawnmowing]

I agree Bluey, I wear the wide brim hat that Dean sells with cut-outs for ear muffs and neck flap

I wear one of those funnel web hats on really hot days but they dont work out to well if you are going hard on a ztr. It keeps taking off taking my earmuffs with it.

[joeymoey]

I don't use hats, I use the Husqvarna chainsaw helmet which has a vinyl flap on the back for neck protection (I'm sure you can retrofit any other helmet)

I do a bit of tree work and had I not had the helmet, adios Jo Mo due to some of the branches.

Helmet for me are a no brainer for the fact most of us have ride ons which can get into some trouble under trees/clothesline etc - helmet means you've got half a chance.

Much like chainsaw gloves and chaps for hedge trimming, won't let my boys work without them.

Too many close calls and a couple of nicks (none to me, only the casuals) but I'm not wanting anymore.

[GAMS]

I spend most of my time mowing and slashing steep acreage properties in un-populated areas on the Sunshine Coast. I give my wife ( the Minister of War & Finance) my list for the day and how long roughly I should be at each job. I phone or text in when finished so she know's I am safe and on the way to the next gig. That is the best security I can put in place - let someone know your itinery and check in when finnished.