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Posted By Terry Green
I have been trying to produce a safe system of work for the cutting of grass on fairly steep inclines.
The inclines are approximately the angle of an average embankment on the side of a motorway, but are not accessable to any motorised equipment.
I have looked at a number of methods but have not found an acceptable method to date.
I would welcome some fresh ideas on this one.
Many thanks
Terry
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Posted By Robin B
Try the Institute of Groundsmanship. Based in Milton Keynes [I think] They may be able to help
Robin
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Posted By Ron Hunter
How about a "green" approach Terry? Leave the grass alone and give nature a chance (grass only grows so high!). Scatter some wild flower seed in - even better. Hazard eliminated.
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Posted By Bill Elliott
Sheep or other grazers!
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Posted By MichaelM
I was going to suggest the small hover mower (similar to the ones we use in the garden) held by a rope. The operator stands at the top of the incline and lowers down / pulls back up etc. This is something I saw as a child (not that long ago honest) although it brings a manual handling aspect into play. This would have to be assessed.
It could also cut down those wild flowers that have been seeded!!
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Posted By steve e ashton
as above... let it grow.
Or... use a mowbot - remote control, so the operators can sit safe at the bottom of the slope...
Or (if it's a small bank) a flymo-on-a-rope (with loads of supervision monitoring and control to ensure the operators are standing ina safe place at the top of the slope)...
Or, (if the guys/gals MUST go on the slope), get their protective footwear sent to your local cobbler, and replace the standard sole with a golf studded ones...
Steve
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Posted By Ron Hunter
I know of at least one occurence where a rope fed flymo slipped from the hands of the operator and careered down onto the live carraigeway! (luckily a 'near miss')
Terry has I think already identified that machinery is not really the answer, but he may find the advert for the "spider" remotely operated mower of interest (on Ransomes and a few other websites - there's a nice picture somewhere of the thing actually on a slope).
I like the idea of using sheep, but then you'd need a hell of a lot of fencing along the motorway!
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Posted By Cr8r
What's wrong with a strimmer?
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Posted By MichaelM
If there is a chance that the flymo rope could slip out of the hands of the user on a very steep incline, it would be possible to securely peg the top part of the rope into the ground to ensure this wouldn't happen. This I think was the practice when I used to see it.
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Posted By Chris Black
I used to work for a water company and operatives at sewage and water works would often use a rope on a flymo- until I stopped them.
Apart fom being murder on the back, every lawn mower i have seen in the last twenty years has some sort of dead-man switch. to use a rope would also mean defeating a safety device which is a sacking offence in most workplaces.
I recently saw a documentary about workers at the Windsor castle estate and saw footage of a groundsman using this very method. Are royal estate workers prevented from enjoying the benefits of hasawa by crown immunity or are they estate employees with the same rights and privileges as the rest of us? If it is the latter then maybe I should consider calling the HSE and reporting such a flagrant breach?
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Posted By Andrew Gordon
On a more serious note a man was killed recently in York on a grass cutting machine whilst cutting grass on an embankment.
Maybe more info available from HSE ??
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Posted By MichaelM
I think the York accident was due to lack of Roll Over Protection on a sit on mower.
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Posted By Eric PD
i realise there are other issues with this idea, but what about using a tractor with a PTO driven directional hydraulic cutting blade like you see cutting hedges. This could drive along the hard shoulder on a quietish time of day and do the job in no time. Usual coning off of hard shoulder/inside lane signage etc would apply. Fairly low risk operation I'd say.
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Posted By Terry Price Hello Terry, go to http://www.insecula.com/us/salle/MS02489.htmThis is the site for le Palais Omnisport de Bercy. Paris 12ieme and you will find some photos of a sharp inclined lawn. I seem to remember seeing lawnmowers operated on guide rails fixed to the top of the slope and suspended on wires, but this was some years ago now and I only used that route as a short cut so didn't really pay much attention. Why not ask our International Department to give them ring and find out what they do? Otherwise I can try and get the number for you. Regards Terry
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Posted By David A Jones
I used to work for a major water company and we used sheep on some of our reservoir embankments
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Posted By MichaelM
Along the same lines with cutting grass on a slope, does anyone know if there are exemptions to ride on mowers having roll over protection systems?
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