Another PHD Accident

[Henro]

I guess we don’t hear about too many post hole digger accidents. This one is reported today in a Pittsburgh newspaper.

Allegheny Township woman loses part of leg in fence hole digging mishap

A 42-year-old woman suffered a leg amputation in an accident that happened while digging holes for a fence Monday evening, Allegheny Township police Chief Dan Uncapher said. Family identified the woman as Trish Watt. The incident in the 1300 block of Route 356 was reported shortly before 6 p.m...

triblive.com

Have to read between the lines I think. Not sure how both the husband and wife would be standing on the ground next to the post hole digger when it was in action. Anyway, the unfortunate result was the woman lost the lower part of her leg.

Apparently, somehow piece of fence wire caught in the turning post hole digger auger, and pulled her leg in.

she’s probably lucky she didn’t lose her life…

I’m just posting this because I think we always need reminders about how dangerous some things related to tractor use can be.

 

[L35]

Probably something similar to this, one person holding each side.

 

[bbxlr8]

Thanks for posting and always thinking about safety around any of the equipment.

I have used my TSC version with my Ford for over 20Y and had some exciting times with hitting rock, also suddenly pinning me at the bottom of the hole (read doing a wheelie) so am quick on the clutch etc. Definitely sounds like a "what were they thinking" deal to have the wire right there and both be standing that close.

I lost the safety shield where the auger bolts on (actually bent it up) and should replace it but it is an occasional use implement and I never get off the tractor.

FWIW: Just last night I repowered an older HD Mightly Mac chipper shredder made here in PA. Haven't used it yet but it definitely could hurt you real bad if you aren't extra careful.

 

[Henro]

Probably something similar to this, one person holding each side.

View attachment 136099

The article says it was a PHD attached to a tractor…

 

[L35]

The article says it was a PHD attached to a tractor…

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

When people don't care about much in life, are in a rush and/or get tired things can go wrong in a hurry. It's not the "one-in-a-million" thing that will get you, it's "one of a million things that can go wrong" that gets you. Thank you for the post and reminder.

Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I can't read the article as I block ads...but curious ... just HOW did it happen ? Drilling a hole for a pole and some fence wire took off her leg ?? Hopefully the left, as she'll still be able to drive.

 

[Henro]

I can't read the article as I block ads...but curious ... just HOW did it happen ? Drilling a hole for a pole and some fence wire took off her leg ?? Hopefully the left, as she'll still be able to drive.

The following is all the article says. I had a pop-up saying an ad blocker was detected but I just closed the pop up and was able to read the article.

“A 42-year-old woman suffered a leg amputation in an accident that happened while digging holes for a fence Monday evening, Allegheny Township police Chief Dan Uncapher said.
The incident in the 1300 block of Route 356 was reported shortly before 6 p.m.
According to Uncapher, the woman and her husband, 43, were using an auger device attached to a tractor to dig holes for fence posts.
They were both standing next to the post hole digger when it caught a piece of the wire for the fencing, Uncapher said. The wire wrapped around one of the woman’s legs, amputating it in the lower leg.
The man was not hurt. Their names were not immediately released.
The woman was flown to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, where she was last known to be in stable condition, Uncapher said.”

 

[Runs With Scissors]

As a guy that has had a "few" accidents in life, I am empathetic, and hope she gets well soon.

Crazy things happen, for crazy reasons; but most things happen due to lack of "foresight" for whatever reason.......... Hurried, rushed, not thinking, daydreaming.....etc..etc... ( All have happened to me...LOL)

OR Some things happen just because the person is being just plain, dumb, stupid, or "they deserve it" , but I try to think positively. (because again...........(this has happened to me as well. LOL)

As with most "articles" we will probably never actually know the truth.


I could fill "pages and pages" of the stupid/dumb/assinine/cocky/stupid sh!t I have done...................................and I almost get killed by tripping over a box 3 weeks ago..........

Words to live by................"Plan for the future.....but live for today........."tomorrow" is not guaranteed"

 

[GreensvilleJay]

wow, now really curious.
just how the heck can anyone use a tractor mounted PHD while OFF the tractor ?? It kinda sounds like the spool of new fence wire was waay too close to them,though WHY you'd need the wire during the drilling is beyond me....

 

[chim]

Something simple but unnoticed such as a piece of wire from a previous fence in the weeds.

 

[Flintknapper]

The article says it was a PHD attached to a tractor…

Yep.

One man PHD (like shown) don't have enough torque to do that anyway and you can immediately get off the throttle of those and stop it. I have one that I use.

 

[Flintknapper]

wow, now really curious.
just how the heck can anyone use a tractor mounted PHD while OFF the tractor ?? It kinda sounds like the spool of new fence wire was waay too close to them,though WHY you'd need the wire during the drilling is beyond me....

On my tractor I can run the PTO while the tractor is in neutral....so IF I wanted to....I could use a PTO powered implement and be off the tractor at the same time. BUT you would still need to 'feed' the PHD into the hole via the 3 point lever unless it contacted a root/rock and pulled itself downward lifting the front of the tractor or stalling.

It is a patently bad idea for anyone to be anywhere near a PHD that is running.

 

[GeoHorn]

It’s likely that they were inexperienced users …and fell victim to the unrealized hazards of that dangerous tool It’s why it’s called an “accident”.

I tried renting from Home Depot one of those hand-held PHD’s like that pictured above. After about 5 minutes of the augur snatching the clay and rocks and almost breaking my wrists … I tossed it back in the truck and took it back.

That’s when I rented a PT—powered PHD…and then bought one outright.

It’s a great tool.… but Tricky …and dangerous to be anywhere near it.

 

[chim]

Reminds me of how fortunate we were on a job when a few of us 18YO's were starting in the trade. The owner/boss sent us to install lights for a volleyball court - "Take these two lights, stop at Agway and get two wood poles. Then go to XXX. There's a tractor there with a post hole digger so you can plant the poles at the middle of both sides. Run a feed from................". Of course none of us had ever operated a tractor, let alone a PHD.

He was fun to work for, partly due to his "you figure it out" hands off approach. He said he didn't want to be like a boss he had who took time to note that square nuts had a flat side that went "down". I learned more that way than if someone had spoon-fed me everything. It did allow Darwin's Theory to thin the herd though. More structured learning took place later while serving an apprenticeship with a large company.

 

[Henro]

….The owner/boss sent us to install lights for a volleyball court - "Take these two lights….

…He was fun to work for, partly due to his "you figure it out" hands off approach...

Did you work for a guy named Joe?

(inside joke for anyone reading the “patch the hole in the side of a block” thread/saga…)

 

[skeets]

Stopped by the stealers last week and they had a FEL PHD, I think thats the first one I have ever seen

 

[chim]

Stopped by the stealers last week and they had a FEL PHD, I think thats the first one I have ever seen

Here's a video I saw some time ago. Maybe it's not the same thing you saw: