- Location
- Las Vegas, NV
Just using this true story as a springboard to a general discussion on safety issues. Got this message from another group.
Last Saturday, June 17, a Great Lakes 4WD family member lost his life in tragic accident. Jonathan Blystra 33, was participating in a small town farm run mud bog in Allegan Co. in S.W. Michigan. His truck got stuck. During the extraction, the tow strap broke and the metal clevis came hurling back towards his truck and went through the windshield. He was pronounced dead at scene with the cause of the accident being blunt force trauma.
(While it wasn't fully defined in the police report I suspect that two straps were hooked together with a metal screw clevis and the strap attached to the pulling truck broke.)
Sadly he left behind a wife and three children. Fortunately while they usually attend Jonathan's competitions the family stayed home to prepare for their 12th wedding anniversary.
http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-8/115072835554910.xml&coll=6
So my question is two part:
1. For those of you who put on events, how do you handle situations where people are being put in danger? Do you lay low and get as far out of the way as possible, Do you try to correct the action? If and when you try to correct the problem, are you frequently brushed off?
2. When you're a trail leader for trail ride, do you inspect the other participants equipment? Do you make them leave 'junk' equipment back at camp? (i..e. pin clevis's, frayed straps, trailer balls) Do you just turn them around and tell them to correct the problem before they come back? Do you have expectations that are printed beforehand that everyone is aware of? Do none of you have this problem and it's just a 'Michigan' thing?
Would appreciate anyone's input and candor on this topic as we have had many discussion in G.L. with respect to insurance and just what our obligations are for the participants in an event. And how potentially dangerous situations are dealt with in your organization?
Last Saturday, June 17, a Great Lakes 4WD family member lost his life in tragic accident. Jonathan Blystra 33, was participating in a small town farm run mud bog in Allegan Co. in S.W. Michigan. His truck got stuck. During the extraction, the tow strap broke and the metal clevis came hurling back towards his truck and went through the windshield. He was pronounced dead at scene with the cause of the accident being blunt force trauma.
(While it wasn't fully defined in the police report I suspect that two straps were hooked together with a metal screw clevis and the strap attached to the pulling truck broke.)
Sadly he left behind a wife and three children. Fortunately while they usually attend Jonathan's competitions the family stayed home to prepare for their 12th wedding anniversary.
http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-8/115072835554910.xml&coll=6
So my question is two part:
1. For those of you who put on events, how do you handle situations where people are being put in danger? Do you lay low and get as far out of the way as possible, Do you try to correct the action? If and when you try to correct the problem, are you frequently brushed off?
2. When you're a trail leader for trail ride, do you inspect the other participants equipment? Do you make them leave 'junk' equipment back at camp? (i..e. pin clevis's, frayed straps, trailer balls) Do you just turn them around and tell them to correct the problem before they come back? Do you have expectations that are printed beforehand that everyone is aware of? Do none of you have this problem and it's just a 'Michigan' thing?
Would appreciate anyone's input and candor on this topic as we have had many discussion in G.L. with respect to insurance and just what our obligations are for the participants in an event. And how potentially dangerous situations are dealt with in your organization?