Trail Safety

[Polar Bear]

So recently at work we started a new safety program called Safe Start http://www.safestart.com/


It is all about being safe in our day to day activities. At work we have tons of protocol to follow in order to make sure we are doing the procedure safely, but what about on your drive to work? At Home? Working in your Garage? Lounging in your backyard or doing cores?

What about when we are Off Road?

As you can see there is a lot that we never really even consider...we take it for granted since we are doing OUR day to day activities!

As a result, I have started to look at what I do everywhere and ask...can I do this safer and better than I do right now?


For Off-Road, some of the things that I am doing are;

1. I just got myself recertified in First Aid. A lot changed since my last certification so it was well Worth it! Is your First Aid Ceritifcation up for renewal???

2. I will be purchasing a large medical back pack that will permanently reside in my H2. I will make sure it will have everything possible, I just never want to have to use it! I will also have a sticker on the exterior of my H2 indicating where it is located in the offortunate event.

3. I am also making sure all my Off-Road gear is in good condition, like; No frays in my winch cables, no cuts in my straps, shackles not bent or deformed...etc.

4. I am even toying with the idea of wearing a helmet when out of the truck on the trail, simply because I have already slipped many times and hit my head...I never hurt myself and I would like to keep it that way!

Now I know some of you are probably saying; all this isn't necessary and you would be right. It is simply things that I am personally choosing to do to make my life and that of those around me safer.

Another point to consider, when carrying spare parts. If your current parts are worn and need to be replaced...change them BEFORE you head out on the trail! It is always easier to replace a part in your driveway with no stress than to be stressed out on the trail trying to change it with your Hummer stuck in a weird position!

But don't throw those parts away...they could be used as a spare to get you out of the bush in the unfortunate event that you do break something, unless of course they are really badly worn and not safe!

Just some Safe thoughts before Off-Road Season Begins!!

Kev

 

[Polar Bear]

I know RamRod and others will have some words of wisdom for making this thread Excellent!

 

[taylorblake831]

I'm up to date with my first aid and cpr
,kinda have to be being in the military


-TEXAS FOREVER-

 

[RamRod]

I think anyone heading out on the trails/into the bush should do the following at a minimum:

• Take a first aid course (and keep it current)
• Bring paper maps of the area
• Tell someone where you are going and when to expect you back
• Have insurance on all rigs
• Inspect equipment before and after a trip
• Make sure there is atleast one vehicle with a winch for every 2-4 vehicles
• Every rig should have a tire repair kit, a spare tire, a strap, a radio of some kind & a jack capable of lift all 4 tires (one at a time of course)
• Trail food & water (my local club requires a min 8L/person/vehicle)
• A first aid kit

... yes there is way more but I consider this to be bare basics

You could have a whole section of a forum deticated to trail safety!

 

[f5moab]

• Tell someone where you are going and when to expect you back

I'm sure Aron Ralston and Danelle Ballengee would agree!

 

[owlxxx]

let me just say, onstar doesnt work out in the boonies. Its hit and miss and the few times I've needed it to call my wife and tell her im coming home late, It wouldnt connect. I wll say that it has worked great in the 2 accidents i've been in and 2 others I've been first on scene. We use satellite phones at work and those work great but at 1-3 dollars a minute(company pays that)

 

[LagunaH1]

Great thread

My check list will mostly look like this:

Rig in great condition
Know where I'm going
Let someone know where I'm going and a rough order of magnitude of when to expect me back
Bring food & water for at least one day
Bring extra extra water, always.
Bring tools and spares to deal with the few mechanical issues that could potentially leave me immobile

Now, granted, I am a huge HAM radio nerd but to me, one of the single most important things to bring is the ability to reach out and let someone know if / when something goes wrong. Assume there is no cell service where you are going.

HAM radio, sat phone, satellite beacons, etc are all good options. Of course, it goes without saying that you will need to know how to use such equipment, it's pretty useless to bring a HAM radio if you don't know how to configure it for the nearest repeater, etc.