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12. Agricultural Extrication. Knowledge Objectives (1 of 4). Describe ways to prepare for a machinery incident in your jurisdiction. Describe some of the common machine hazards. Describe how OSHA inspection procedures vary between factories and farms. Knowledge Objectives (2 of 4).
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12 Agricultural Extrication
Knowledge Objectives (1 of 4) • Describe ways to prepare for a machinery incident in your jurisdiction. • Describe some of the common machine hazards. • Describe how OSHA inspection procedures vary between factories and farms.
Knowledge Objectives (2 of 4) • Identify and describe significant hazards unique to an emergency scene involving tractors and machinery, including, but not limited to: • Stability • Fuel and other fluids • Electric, hydraulic, and mechanical power • Environmental factors • Other people
Knowledge Objectives (3 of 4) • Describe a picket anchor system and its benefits and uses. • Explain how to isolate an injury site. • Describe the patient care priorities when dealing with a victim of a tractor/machinery-related injury.
Knowledge Objectives (4 of 4) • Understand the importance of concurrent rescue and EMS operations. • Explain how to terminate an incident.
Introduction • Caring for the victim of an overturned tractor or other machinery entanglement can challenge rescuers. • Technical rescuers need to use response planning to determine if they have the capacities to stabilize and lift the equipment used in their area.
Machine Safety (1 of 15) • Many farmers and people who work around machinery think that accidents will not happen to them. • The more comfortable people become working around hazards, the more likely they will get injured. • Preparation is the first step to rescue management.
Machine Safety (2 of 15) • Typical machine hazards: • Pinch points: Created when two objects move together, with at least one of them moving in a circle. Courtesy of Eric J. Rickenbach
Machine Safety (3 of 15) • Typical machine hazards (cont’d): • Wrap points: Created when a rotating machine component is exposed.
Machine Safety (4 of 15) • Typical machine hazards (cont’d): • Shear points: Created when the edges of two objects move toward or next to each other closely enough to cut soft material. Courtesy of Eric J. Rickenbach
Machine Safety (5 of 15) • Typical machine hazards (cont’d): • Crush points: Created when two objects move toward each other or when one object moves toward a stationary object.
Machine Safety (6 of 15) • Typical machine hazards (cont’d): • Pull-in points: Points on a machine where an individual or object may be pulled into the moving parts Courtesy of Eric J. Rickenbach
Machine Safety (7 of 15) • Most modern equipment has a shield or guard protecting hazard areas. • Guards are often removed or damaged. • Farm machinery is not subjected to the same regular inspections most industries are.
Machine Safety (8 of 15) • Machines have energy sources that will need to be managed during rescue operations. • Anticipate and control all of these energy sources prior to and during rescue operations. • Machines can have one or more sources of power.
Machine Safety (9 of 15) • Main source of power for portable machines: • Hydraulic power through hydraulic hoses or steel lines • Mechanical power through the power take-off shaft • Electrical power through electrical wiring • Pneumatic power through air lines and tubing
Machine Safety (10 of 15) • Hydraulic power • Tractors depend on hydraulics for many functions. • Critical functions such as steering and braking can be lost. • Some hydraulic pressures, or fluids under pressure, on farm equipment exceed 3000 psi. • Never use the equipment’s own power to help with a rescue.
Machine Safety (11 of 15) • Hydraulic power (cont’d) • Anticipate that anything that is held up by hydraulics will need to be secured before the engine is shut off. Courtesy of Eric J. Rickenbach
Machine Safety (12 of 15) • Mechanical power • The power take-off (PTO) shaft is used to transfer mechanical energy to and throughout a piece of machinery. • Example: from a tractor to a farm implement Courtesy of Eric J. Rickenbach
Machine Safety (13 of 15) • Mechanical power (cont’d) • If a person becomes entangled in the PTO, disassemble or cut the shaft. • Unless it is a very minor entanglement, you should not attempt to unwind the victim.
Machine Safety (14 of 15) • Electrical power • The first action to stabilize a machine is to secure its power source. • First shut off the engine, then manually stabilize the PTO shaft with a Halligan bar or pry bar. • Electrical power from the tractor can also flow to an attached machine through electrical cables or cords.
Machine Safety (15 of 15) • Electrical power (cont’d) • Never use the power of the machine to remove the patient. • When you shut off a machine, any object that is being held in an “up” position should be locked in the position prior to shutting off the engine.
Tractors (1 of 28) • Few farms would be in operation without a tractor. • The average tractor is at least 30 years old. • Many of these tractors either have no safety mechanisms or have safety mechanisms that are in disrepair.
Tractors (2 of 28) • Roll–over protective structure (ROPS) • All agricultural employers are required by OSHA to equip tractors with ROPS and safety belts. • Major tractor manufacturers have also adopted this standard. Courtesy of Eric J. Rickenbach
Tractors (3 of 28) • Roll–over protective structure (ROPS) (cont’d) • Roll bar creates a safety zone for the operator, and the seat belt holds the operator into that zone. • Roll bar can also be used as a purchase point or lift point to assist in stabilization and/or lifting.
Tractors (4 of 28) • Roll–over protective structure (ROPS) (cont’d) • You can usually find a tag indicating that the structure is an approved ROPS structure. • Do not be lulled into believing that the large tractors will not upset.
Tractors (5 of 28) • Tractor overturns • For a tractor to stay upright, its center of gravity must stay with the tractors stability baseline. • The wider the baseline, the more stable the tractor.
Tractors (6 of 28) • Bystanders • May have been providing care before help arrived. • Should be allowed to observe from a distance. • Educate family members and neighbors on the reasons for your actions.
Tractors (7 of 28) • Instability • When encountering an overturned tractor, try to determine where the center of gravity exists. • Also determine where the stability baselines exist.
Tractors (8 of 28) • Hazardous materials • A difference between a tractor roll-over and a vehicle roll-over is the location of the fluids in relation to the operator. • Many of the fluids will be leaking from the center of the tractor where the operator sits. • A charged hose line must be deployed to prepare for a combustible scene.
Tractors (9 of 28) • Hazardous materials (cont’d) • Electrical energy hot surfaces could result in ignition of fuels and other fluids. • Assess for and control other potential hazards from pesticides, fertilizers, etc. • Once the tractor is stabilized, it is safe to divert or dike the fluids away from the victim or rescue operations site.
Tractors (10 of 28) • Power • Securing the power source is the highest priority. • Turning the key to the off position may not power down the tractor. • Gasoline fuel systems—shutting off the electrical current will stop the engine. • Diesel fuel systems—will often have a fuel shut-off valve
Tractors (11 of 28) • Power (cont’d) • On all tractor incidents, the key should be turned to the off position at the first opportunity. • Understand how to affect the tractor engine if you cannot get to the operator’s station or if an ignition key cannot be located.
Tractors (12 of 28) • Power (cont’d) • Gas–powered tractors • Pulling the coil wire will disrupt the electrical current and shut down the engine.
Tractors (13 of 28) • Power (cont’d) • Diesel tractors • Locate the fuel pump to reveal the fuel shut-off linkage. • It may take several minutes for the gas or fuel in the fuel lines to be burned through the engine.
Tractors (14 of 28) • Power (cont’d) • Propane fuel vehicles • Shut off the electrical system to shut off the engine. • Locate the propane fuel tank and turn off the fuel supply to immediately shut down these engines. Courtesy of Travis Martin
Tractors (15 of 28) • Environmental conditions • The discovery of a victim commonly occurs after dark. • Accidents usually occur during bad weather when the ground is wet and slippery. • Extra personnel will likely be needed to carry tools, equipment and the victim.
Tractors (16 of 28) • Tractor rescue operations will use a lot of cribbing. • Building a box crib consisting of three blocks per layer is preferred. • Provides extra support and lifting capacity. • Material will be exposed to wet ground and leaking oil.
Tractors (17 of 28) • Picket anchor systems • Provide a structurally significant anchor point for rigging system components.
Tractors (18 of 28) • Picket anchor systems (cont’d) • Holding power depends on: • Diameter and kind of material used • Type of soil • Depth and angle in which the picket is driven • Angle of the guy line in relation to the ground • To increase the holding capacity, lash additional rods together. • The principal strength is at the front pickets.
Tractors (19 of 28) • If any upward pressure is exerted on the tractor’s wheels, you will need to secure the wheels to the frame of the tractor. • Pick two points on the tire as wide as possible to secure.
Tractors (20 of 28) • Front axles have a pivot point. • Allows the tractor to traverse uneven ground while preventing the front end from lifting off the ground. • Securing the pivot will alleviate unsuspected movement.
Tractors (21 of 28) • Managing the victim involves vehicle or machinery entry, victim packaging, and victim removal. • Farm machines can often be dismantled more easily than they can be cut apart. • Once a rescuer is able to get close to the victim, he or she should determine how he or she is trapped.
Tractors (22 of 28) • Ensure that parts of the machine on either side of the entrapped patient are secured. • Isolating the injury site • Rescue personnel develop extrication plans at the same time EMS is assessing the patient. • Crushing injuries can be a major complication.
Tractors (23 of 28) • Once the patient is assessed, the technical rescuers, EMS, and the IC need to decide whether a methodical or aggressive approach is needed. • Based on patient’s condition and available resources.
Tractors (24 of 28) • Common methods of extrication: • Manual unwinding • Disassembling parts • Cutting, prying, or spreading parts of the machine • Field amputation
Tractors (25 of 28) • Always stabilize the machine and the victim first. • Appropriate victim care needs to take place prior to and during disentanglement and extrication. • Pain control should be considered. • Compartment syndrome • Crush injury syndrome
Tractors (26 of 28) • Once EMS gives the go signal, the procedure must continue until the patient is freed. • Prior to these efforts, the egress path must be cleared and communicated. • Once the victim is moved to a safe location, his or her condition needs to be reevaluated
Tractors (27 of 28) • Removing a victim from under a load • Three basic strategies: • Raise the load by lifting. • Stabilize the load and lower the ground to enable patient removal. • Combine the first two approaches.
Tractors (28 of 28) • Removing a victim from under a load (cont’d) • Follow these rules: • Know the rated capacities /limitations of lifting tools. • For every inch a load is lifted, insert an inch of cribbing. • Know where purchase points are on a tractor. • Build a sound and level base for the lifting tools. • Protect the portions of the air bag that come in contact with the tractor. • What is being lifted may be heavier than usual.
Terminating a Machinery Incident(1 of 3) • Termination activities: • Make the scene as safe as possible. • Move disabled equipment. • Upright an overturned tractor. • Work with personnel to ensure that normal operations can be continued. • Return all tools used during the extrication.