04:46:54pm, Tuesday, April 29, 2025
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Safety question
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Moderator Registered: 07/06/2008 Posts: 1,501 |
A NASCAR or Indy Car track safety crew must wear safety equipment, as does the NHRA Safety Safari. They are among the first to arrive if something goes wrong.
Why don't the pulling orgs require track officials to wear safety equipment? They are the first on the scene for a fire, rollover, throttle stuck wide open, etc. The finish line flagman is near enough of vehicles with thousands of hp and wheelspeeds in excess of 100 mph. At some point it seems the insurance would mandateit. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/2024 01:49AM by The Original Michael. |
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Re: Safety question
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plb
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Why don`t YOU stand out there for 4-5 hours with all that stuff on and report back!!! |
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Re: Safety question
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Moderator Registered: 07/06/2008 Posts: 1,501 |
Yes, it gets hot in the summer. That's also irrelevant to the question. It's also hot during a NASCAR race or NHRA race on asphalt or concrete depending on track. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/2024 02:42AM by The Original Michael. |
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Re: Safety question
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Registered: 03/25/2008 Posts: 2,597 |
I actually think the heat is very relevant to the question. A flagman like Scott Doty is on his feet for hours at pulls like BG. He doesn't get to take a bathroom break and he's constantly moving. He drinks just enough to stay slightly dehydrated so he can make it through the show. If you added a fire suit to that he wouldn't be able to drink enough to make up for the sweat he'd lose. The danger of heat exhaustion would be higher than the danger of getting burned. Everything in life is a trade-off and the risk of heat exhaustion is much high than the risk of fire. At many big pulls there are already trained firemen on the sidelines. At a pull like BG they sit ad sweat like crazy... but the key is they sit. They don't move much because they would sweat to death.
The risk of getting burned is definitely real but it's not one of the top risks that a flagman faces. Jake Morgan Owner, PULLOFF.COM Independent Pulling News This page is a free service. The cost is covered out of my pocket. It takes a great deal of time and a fair amount of money to keep this website going. Donations for: photos, classified ads, forum discussion, etc... are appreciated. Side Note: We are no longer accepting PayPal donations. They have changed their terms of service and stated they would fine PayPal users for spreading "misinformation" and "hate, violence, racial or other forms of intolerance that is discriminatory". PayPal did not provide definitions for some of these vague terms. Woke corporate policies regarding "misinformation" could result in an automatic fine of $2,500 which would have been removed directly from the customer’s PayPal account. PayPal did backdown from some of their policies but quietly implemented portions of them in later terms of service. A financial institute has no right to monitor social media accounts or speech. This is unacceptable and I'll no longer do business with PayPal. |
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Re: Safety question
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Registered: 10/31/2017 Posts: 19 |
European rules mandate that everyone in the hot pit / track area wears long sleeves and pants - pure cotton minimum, nomex etc recommended.
All flagmen wear driving suits of the same standard as the pullers - No heat stroke etc for the last couple of decades. |
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Re: Safety question
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Fan 2
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Why don't you ask Gregg Randall? You obviously don't REALLY want to know! |
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Re: Safety question
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IH 5488
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Been to a few NHRA races. The only people wearing those suits are the safety safari guys. The chief starter does not wear a fire suit and he sits in the middle of two 11,000 hp top fuel cars. So maybe you ought to call up the NHRA to invoice your concern |
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Re: Safety question
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Registered: 03/17/2009 Posts: 492 |
I don't think that will ever become a reality. If it did, I will no longer be a tech official. I think a more realistic answer would be lights on the track controlled by the sled. Obviously, there is still a need for safety crews close by in the event of an emergency but then if they are in a suit they can sit at the ready on the side in the shade or even in the ac of a side by side or something. I just think heat exhaustion would be a real big problem fully suited standing in the sun for 4-5 hours at a pop. |
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Re: Safety question
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What in the actual eff?
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So as you mentioned the NHRA and Indy car track safety crews in wearing protective gear, that is their sole position. Fire safety. Then they have event staff or officials that do the rest. You don’t see the flagman in any corner wearing fire gear. Nor any of the officials on pit row.
Switch gears to truck and tractor pulling, we have fire and ems on hand at every event. They leave, the event stops. The officials of the organization run the show, not provide the safety crew and gear. As an official it is our job to ensure the safety of the puller, to the point of not putting ourselves in harms way. And a lot to do with staying out of harms way has to do with the training your given as to where you stand to prevent from being near flying parts. Yes anything can happen though you can’t wear a bubble and walk around in life. |
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Re: Safety question
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Registered: 05/24/2021 Posts: 37 |
After some nasty fire episodes last year, we decided it was best that our track officials wear FR pants, FR Shirts, and gloves. We saw that this could get bad especially with the crew shirts that are made of polyester fabric. Yes its hot but they are safer than before. |
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