Sad Safety Reminder

[Pete Masterson]

Ryan,

That is the precise recipe for a disaster. You need to add:

5. Wheels chocked front and back (with adequate chocks!) Two axles preferred.

6. Jack stands, of suitable weight rating, set under the frame members to hold the bus should it come down.

I note that on later models, lowering the jacks causes the suspension to dump automatically. The leveling jacks (on my coach) state right on the control panel, "Not to be used for working under the coach."

The only true safety from being crushed is for something that can not collapse should be placed between the frame and the ground. The air bags can collapse without warning if (for example) you open an air-line on purpose or by accident. The leveling jacks may have a failure (or you may damage a hydraulic line) while you're working under the coach. 

I note during my recent visit to CCW that the technicians were clever in their use of the leveling jacks to raise the coach for working under it (at one point, putting blocks under the jacks to raise the coach higher then normal). However, they also used very heavy duty jack stands (looked like they could hold 50 tons) to keep the coach from unexpectedly coming down. 

Pete Masterson

'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42

El Sobrante CA

"aeonix1@mac.com"

On Jun 9, 2008, at 11:12 AM, Ryan Wright wrote:

On Sun, Jun 8, 2008 at 4:36 PM, mbulriss <"mbulriss@yahoo.com"> wrote:

Our understanding is that Jim's passing was due to his bus falling on him.

Does anyone know how it happened? What was he doing, what went wrong?

I crawl under my bus all the time under these circumstances:

1. Parked on a flat, level surface.

2. Parking brake set.

3. Air bags inflated.

4. Leveling jacks down as a safety against airbag failure.

I've never had cause to jack the bus up beyond normal airbag operating

height. I'm small enough I can work around it without lifting it. I

can't see the airbags and the jacks failing at the same time. I'd

imagine most of the danger here is when you've actually lifted one or

more tires off the ground, yes?