Winch Safety and Recovery Dangers

[m1010plowboy]

While looking for information on winch safety for my old deuce I was disheartened to see so many good people taken down trying to recover a stuck vehicle.

With those guys in my thoughts I'd like to get as much "Recovery Safety" information all in one place for those who will be anywhere around a rope, chain or winch.

I'm new to big winches so all tips, links, TM's, videos or data will be greatly appreciated.
Found 2 threads on the site so far with the first one linking to a decent "winch guideline". There must be more so if we can bump good threads or move them here it would help.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?25322-Great-winching-amp-recovery-refrence
This post was one of the reasons I was inclined to re-new this information.
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?25352-Winching-observations
Several You Tube videos on jeep recovery
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f27/...be-some-will-find-informative-helpful-975435/
Operation and Safety with your winch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8gjwRjy3R8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTbXs4Dx5oc
M35A2 Recovery
http://www.dragtimes.com/video-viewer.php?v=k2mRxSmxt40&feature

Harmless CCKW video on How not to winch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=47EEkq4ehlE&feature=fvwp

I don't want to post a bunch of sick videos of folks getting hurt doing this but whether you're in a vehicle or a bystander, please get familiar with winching and recovery hazards.

Winch hook hits windshield
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=aba_1232605716
Bystander photographer hit by winch-line
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnXUQtYmftM
DON'T DRINK AND WINCH

 

[seano11]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EouPjJLub2c&sns=em Only help video I could find tonight

 

[73m819]

There should be quite a few threads on winch safty as it is preached quite often, the NUMBER ONE rule is WINCHING IS NOT A ONE PERSON PROJECT, no matter what some say (they have been lucky)

 

[TurboTim]

Show me more people getting hit by winching.

 

[wreckerman893]

There are several TM's that cover tracked and wheeled vehicle recovery operations. There used to be a "Vehicle Recovery and Evacuation" course for Army wrecker drivers to attend. If you are going to use a winch or field expeident techniques to recover a vehicle reading one or more of them is not a bad idea.

 

[NDT]

"NOT A ONE PERSON PROJECT" Why do you say this? Whenever I am winching I demand that bystanders get out of the possible cable trajectory .

 

[73m819]

"NOT A ONE PERSON PROJECT" Why do you say this? Whenever I am winching I demand that bystanders get out of the possible cable trajectory .

True, BUT if something happens, there IS somebody there to help/get help, instead of finding the wincher beyond help 2 days later and whoever thinks things don't/can't happen is a IDIOT and VERY dangerous to them selves and others.

 

[Storm 51]

There are LOTS and LOTS of excellent winch safety articles in PS Magazine which are all online at:

http://dig.library.vcu.edu/cdm/search/collection/psm/se

 

[KsM715]

"NOT A ONE PERSON PROJECT" Why do you say this? Whenever I am winching I demand that bystanders get out of the possible cable trajectory .

I think what Ron means is, You should not be alone when winching. Especially the winches on most of our trucks, it usually takes 2 just to operate. One in the cab and another at a safe distance watching the cable or helping to finish reeling in the cable after the job is done.

 

[m1010plowboy]

There should be quite a few threads on winch safety as it is preached quite often, the NUMBER ONE rule is WINCHING IS NOT A ONE PERSON PROJECT, no matter what some say (they have been lucky)

You nailed it when you say we've been lucky. I'll bet most of us have had close calls we wouldn't want anyone else to go through.
If alone, having an emergency contact plan at set times is an Occupational law in Alberta.

Rule # 1) If a guy finds himself stuck and alone.... before you pull, pick up the phone!

There should be quite a few threads and we should all think about reading them again, just for an upgrade. This is a good thread on the M35A2 winch ops.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?24534-M35A2-Winch-Operations

LOTS and LOTS is an understatement Storm...... any particular volume, year or issue that you recall?

http://dig.library.vcu.edu/cdm/search/collection/psm/se

Thank you

 

[Storm 51]

I'll look through my 4" binders this weekend and find some of the articles.

An amazing collection, isn't it? I'm at about issue #182. I've been copying relevant articles, etc as I go and I have about 3 or 4 of the 4" binders full.

It makes a nice reference set.

Storm 51

 

[m16ty]

There's way too much stuff going wrong in the vid where the camera guy gets hit. Fist off, the camera man is a idiot. Second, the people doing the winching are idiots for not making sure everybody was out of the way. Also there were just way too many things going on at once and too many people in the danger zone. It's a wonder nobody got killed.

 

[jw4x4]

Yes that photographer is lucky to be alive. The Nirvana song "Half The Man I used To Be" comes to mind. Winching with large vehicles definitely requires a spotter and everyone cleared out of the danger zone. The same high level of caution and awareness should also be exercised when using snatch straps also. I have some sand bags in the bed of my truck to use as weights on the cable.

 

[m1010plowboy]

Cartoon Series Training

Need a good set of eyes to read some of these but they're very creative and will give a guy a belly jiggle, thanks again for the link.

Haven't found a winch one yet but here's one on deep water fording http://dig.library.vcu.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/psm/id/9325/rec/89

""First thing you wanna do is pick a driver who can swim""

 

[shenkmen]

Yes that photographer is lucky to be alive. The Nirvana song "Half The Man I used To Be" comes to mind. Winching with large vehicles definitely requires a spotter and everyone cleared out of the danger zone. The same high level of caution and awareness should also be exercised when using snatch straps also. I have some sand bags in the bed of my truck to use as weights on the cable.

Not Nirvana. It was Stone Temple Pilots. Song title is Creep.

Back to winch safety...

 

[KsM715]

The same high level of caution and awareness should also be exercised when using snatch straps also.

I saw this one just the other day on another forum.

What ever the lenght of cable or strap you have out everyone needs to be outside that radius. (theses guys obviously dont get that concept)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81hbqII4E0w&feature=player_embedded

 

[jw4x4]

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SMwpwbWv_WY?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

This was the song to which I was referring. And once again, back to the thread.....

Yes it is STP. It was mistakenly labeled as Nirvana. BTW, STP is a far better band in my opinion!!!
And that stuck Jeep- why would anyone attach to the bumper?? Wow!!!

 

[Flyingvan911]

Ouch. I bet that hurt.

 

[73m819]

Guys, take a look at the cable load charts below, the 5-1 ratio is for over head use, the 3 1/5-1 ratio is for winch work, this chart is for NEW wire rope with a WIRE core, a fiber core (which our front winches have) cable has less SWL loading then shown, so just because someone has a 45,000 lg , a 20,000 lb, or a 10,000 lb winch, DOES NOT mean you can put this on the cable.

The factor of safety for all fibre ropes is 5. For ropes used to hoist or support personnel, it is 10.

As a example a 45,000 lb rear wrecker winch uses 3/4" steel core cable, it has a breaking strength of 58.000 lbs NEW, so with a bit of use, maybe a bit of corrosion, I can see that 58,000 down to maybe 50,000, now with a bit of OVERLOAD, a bit of rub wear, maybe a minor kink, ect. I can see that 50,000 down to 40,000, with things getting WORSE every time the winch is used, the above example is WHY there IS a SAFE WORKING LOAD (SWL) ratio
.
There IS a reason for snatch blocks and one of the MAIN reasons for those double, 3/4" snatch blocks from he11 that the wreckers carry (nothing else has the springs to carry them around)

You want to put a SWL of 45,000 on a winch cable, go to 1 1/4" cable

You SUPER winchers that think that because you have a HIGH pull winch and can/do hook up and pull to the winches MAX ARE going to hurt/kill somebody, tore up iron can be fixed, losing a body part or death CAN NOT


http://www.ingersollrandproducts.com/lifting/winches/wireropechart.htm

Fiber core load chart, notice the difference in the two charts
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/wire-rope-strength-d_1518.html

 

[m1010plowboy]

I was going to bump the following thread but the title is a little deceiving and the link to pirate4x4 is also on page one of this thread...... but it is worth a review. In addition to 73m819's info on ratings and wear considerations, the link within this thread covers a wide range of winch safety, tools and information.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?4997-Nice-Recovery-write-up

With all that went down in 2012, I think we can show some respect by bumping a "Safety" thread once a week for review, discussion and upgrades.