Bad Accident - Cut-Off Hand

FBH44 · Mar 2, 2015

Friend was trying to clear corn out of a machine, not sure exactly what, and went to clear a jammed up area, with his bare hand. Got caught, got slowly chewed up and dragged in, finally realized he could not get free and was able to get knife and amputate what was left.
Lost the hand up to the wrist.
Be careful, guys, get ready for jams, get push sticks, 1x2's ready, whatever.

John B. · Mar 2, 2015

So sorry to hear this! It can happen so quick.

Craig45 · Mar 2, 2015

Had friend lost left hand and part of fingers on right hand. Shut it down first.

Iowa Jim · Mar 2, 2015

(quoted from post at 15:41:08 03/02/15) .....
Be careful, guys, get ready for jams, get push sticks, 1x2's ready, whatever.

I have to disagree with this advice with every ounce of my body!!

The ONLY way to safely clear any jam in farm equipment is to completely shut the machine off. Using push stick or 1x2s is not safe, you can not let go of the stick fast enough if it gets pulled into the machine.

Alberta Bill · Mar 2, 2015

Jim And I Are Thinking Alike. Shut The Damm Thing Off Is The Way To Think And Do. Sticks Well They Could get Thrown Out And Your There To Catch Em. Stop The Problem And Then Fix The Mess. Sorry Blunt Saying But Dad Has Told Us That For Years.

LAA · Mar 2, 2015

If his hand was being dragged in and chewed off as it went why couldn't he just pull what was left of his hand back at any time?

ericlb · Mar 2, 2015

it just takes a second to lose something machinery is dangerous, shut it down before working on it, if you have to climb up into a hopper or whatever take the ignition key out of the tractor or key switch and put it in your pocket before you do, that way nobody can come along and restart the machine not knowing your inside it

Brian806 · Mar 2, 2015

Yea I was dumb did same thing a few years back lucky I still have what I got! I could pull hard enough to stop the husking bed on the old new idea number 10 but couldn't yank it out! Just tell your friend don't let it hold ya back! Taught me some patience I will say that!

JRSutton · Mar 2, 2015

Sorry to hear that.

A friend of mine lost both arms and half his face in a corn picker.

I'm sure he wouldn't mind me speaking for him here and saying "Turn the )#($* thing off before going anywhere NEAR it". Not sometimes - but EVERY time.

I know it's often easier to pull a jam while it's spinning - but remember what should be obvious: nobody PLANS an accident.

It's not always "stupidity" that causes something to go wrong, it happens to smart careful people too - all you need is a little bad luck.

It's easy to visualize accidents in slow motion, and think you can plan out your escape routes and such - but in reality most accidents happen so fast and are so unexpected that you don't even have time to see it coming, let alone react to it.

My friend's spent a life time wishing he could undo that one little split second in time.

Any time I've got a jam or something like that - I play a little mental game and pretend I'm in his shoes, and that I just got my wish granted to handle it differently.

That helps resist the urge to do things the quick way.

FBH44 · Mar 2, 2015

Sorry, you guys are exactly right; NO push-sticks, NO 1x2's. You are right. I was thinking of a table saw. Thanks for the reminder.

Clodbuster · Mar 2, 2015

So sorry for your friend's loss of his hand. He has a long journey of healing and learning how to do things differently but he will be able to do it. I know many one handed folks that do amazing things.

Here is one source for disabled farmers and there are many ideas here that have worked for others. If his state has an AgrAbility program he should get in contact with them.

Being part of a peer support group will also let him meet others in his situation and to learn how to get things accomplished, in addition to occupational therapy at a medical clinic.

I see you corrected your statement about using a push stick on some machinery. Some equipment will pull you in faster than your brain can tell your hand to let go.
AgrAbility

Billy Shafer · Mar 2, 2015

I don't understand why we keep having to hear about things like this. My father beat it into my head as a kid. Don't be a dumba$$ shut the equipment down. Never grab anything that is moving. I have done things like everyone else.Amazing I have never had a really bad injury. Some day maybe we will all wise up.

gtractorfan · Mar 2, 2015

I remember numerous times walking around behind the picker and pulling out cornstalks while it was running, didn't seem dangerous there.

PJH · Mar 2, 2015

It's actually not chewed OFF - it's just hung on to, and eaten a little at a time. You can't just pull out what is left, because the remainder is never released.

A friend of mine cut his fingers off with a sharp pocket knife to get loose from a picker. Another guy in the neighborhood got caught and couldn't get loose. He sent his wife in the house for the sharpest butcher knife, then he coolly dissected the fingers from the hand and drove himself to the hospital. Wife was beside herself, and useless (other than providing the knife).

just another old geezer · Mar 3, 2015

Never,ever,EVER, under any circumstances, leave the seat without turning the PTO off. Peroid!.

CGID · Mar 3, 2015

My uncle got hung up in a corn picker and couldn't get himself free. He was close enough to the road to signal for help with his free arm as neighbors drove by. Most waved back. He was stuck in that machine for 3/4 hour.

LAA · Mar 3, 2015

This did not sound like a picker incident, he stated that the mans hand was being chewed off as it was drug into the machine, a picker mangles and then tears limbs off. What ever it was it is a bad deal for the guy.

buickanddeere · Mar 3, 2015

Most people here when they post images of equipment missing safety shields etc . They get all irate when told the shields are missing. Then they reply that they know what they are doing and for everybody else to mind their own business.

Cas · Mar 3, 2015

B&D Around our area most of the one arm guys have now passed away. But, there were quite a few of them. On a corn chopper it is not the shields on the machine. It is hopping up on a chopper to push the corn through the rollers. The problem is sometimes you can not let go of the corn fast enough. You should stop the machine before unplugging.I have to admit in the past I pushed corn thru with the chopper running.I can only say is that the good Lord protected me.

buickanddeere · Mar 3, 2015

(quoted from post at 18:41:08 03/02/15) Friend was trying to clear corn out of a machine, not sure exactly what, and went to clear a jammed up area, with his bare hand. Got caught, got slowly chewed up and dragged in, finally realized he could not get free and was able to get knife and amputate what was left.
Lost the hand up to the wrist.
Be careful, guys, get ready for jams, get push sticks, 1x2's ready, whatever.

In hind sight. Many persons caught in machines could have been freed by placing a crowbar in a U-Joint and rotating the machine backwards. Instead of cutting off body parts.

Bad Accident - Cut-Off Hand

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