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Caught sight of this picture (not us by the way) recently and serves as a good reminder when operating near banks, drops and kerbs.

In recent years in the UK there have been a number of deaths (particulary near water).

Are you or your staff experienced and/or have recieved sufficient training ? If so, has it been recorded and signed-off and held within their "Employee File" ?

How would you fair following an accident if HS&E did an investigation?

Would your employee have sufficient grounds to sue you/your business for damges/injuries?

Worth considering : Regular Tool-box talks are a good first place to start:  Create a topic, document it, action it, get everyone's attention and have them sign-off on it. If you're accreditated with schemes such as SAFEContractor you'll know the process :)

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  • I used to use a westwood many moons ago when I first started up, when the slope got to steep the wheel towards the top of the slope lost traction and you knew you were out the mowers comfort zone. <br />
    <br />
    <br />
    I think 4wd can make it worse as the machine will keep driving until l it's to late. <br />
    <br />
    Had a close one last year on a countax d18 50 with the diff engaged.<br />
    <br />
    Stay safe!
  • This is very good advice Gary.

  • I find shifting my weight to the side of the seat furthest from the abyss lets me go a little further down the slope...thats just on a small mountfield ride on. I wouldn't fancy being crushed by the mower or slashed by the blade so am ready to bail out at any time, or to steer down the incline if it started to tip. Safest to either close strim the steepest slopes or work across them using one of the small plastic cordless mowers which are so light you could practically mow the side of a sheer cliff

    • PRO

      Shifting your weight so it doesn't tip is extremely risky at best. If an accident happened you would be slammed by the HSE.

      An excellent guide to managing slopes and banks can be found here: http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/meetings/iacs/aiac/apg/280710/3-3-1-m...

      • more likely to get slammed by A and E i think...but he who dares wins and all that

    • If you want to end up with all your bits intact Billybop, I'd change your working practice pretty sharpish mate.  A bit of 'body lean' is fine on a motorcycle trials bike, but please, not a ride-on!  A hidden hole or hump and you could be over. 

  • PRO
    It's dangerous as the picture shows but nothing a bit of common sense won't cure!!
    The person driving that really can't have been paying attention to the surroundings!!
    Not saying it's not a problem but I do think more endless risk assessments could be swopped for using your brain!!
  • PRO

    Guidance states you should never use a ride-on on a slope past it's designated angle of lean. It should be on machine and/or in handbook. You can buy inclinometers that show the angle of the dangle from eBay cheaply.

    Also, ride-on should only be used up & down a slope, where as pedestrian mower should only be used across a slope.

    I'd suggest that if you feel the need to shift your weight to balance a mower, you've already gone past the point of no return......

  • PRO

    This forms part of our Ops Manual for the guys:

    3314808681?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024

  • Is there a way of measuring a slope using a meter long spirit level with one end against the slope and measure what's below it in cm and you will have the gradient?
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