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Jthundercleese t1_jedlyo6 wrote

It's really impressive how often keys are left in the ignition or just somewhere on heavy machinery like this. They probably won't change anything and just hope no one else has the same idea.

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Flash_ina_pan t1_jedmlvb wrote

That's an OSHA violation

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Jthundercleese t1_jedn09t wrote

Keys stored on the lift/ignition?

Odd I never heard of it. I drove lifts for 4 different companies and never was told that.

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Flash_ina_pan t1_jedns5c wrote

It's more about preventing unauthorized use, it ties into

1917.43(b)(3) When a powered industrial truck is left unattended, load-engaging means shall be fully lowered, controls neutralized and brakes set. Unless the truck is in view and within 25 feet (7.62 m) of the operator, power shall be shut off. Wheels shall be blocked or curbed if the truck is on an incline.

This is what I have seen cited

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Jthundercleese t1_jeekf69 wrote

Oh well that doesn't say anything about where the keys are left.

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TwentySevenNihilists t1_jeexuya wrote

"controls neutralized" is the part that addresses the keys being taken out, or some measure taken to ensure that some random idiot can't drive off in your telehandler.

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Jthundercleese t1_jefwbcr wrote

I think that's tough to argue. In a forklift controls are always "neutralized". Lift, tilt, shift, etc all put themselves into neutral when you're not using them. And an ignition key in the off position, hard to argue that's not neutral. That's semantics that I think really wouldn't hold up.

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TwentySevenNihilists t1_jefxcth wrote

I could certainly see it argued either way. I guess it would come down to how much time and money you have to argue with OSHA if they decide that it includes the keys.

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Jthundercleese t1_jefykfu wrote

I would definitely argue with someone from OSHA over it. When a car's controls are in neutral, no one ever assumes that means the key is not in the ignition or specifically not in the car whatsoever. I would definitely cite my 8 years of driving lifts and dozen times talking to OSHA where it was no a problem. If they want keys stored when machines aren't in use, that's got to be written specifically.

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Hip_Hop_Hippos t1_jeeuh6d wrote

I wonder if that’s purposeful because some of them don’t have keys.

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Whako4 t1_jeel350 wrote

Weird In the car industry if you have cars in the garage you have to keep the keys with them

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XKeyscore666 t1_jef9028 wrote

Yeah, when it gets turned off/on 50+ times a day it seems a little silly to pull the key every time.

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porcelainvacation t1_jedph3g wrote

When I was a kid I used to mess around in the woods and came across a logging site. The keys were in the bulldozer so I started it and took it for a joy ride. I couldn’t figure out how to turn it off so I left it running. Later I learned that diesel engines of that era had a mechanical lever that pushed on the injection pump to shut them down.

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fallingcave t1_jefa15f wrote

Fuck I bet they were mad

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porcelainvacation t1_jefj1t4 wrote

No idea, nobody caught me. It was the 80’s, they either would run you off or give you a job if you were a kid hanging around a site. I had a job at 14 years old doing tractor work on an estate because I got caught joyriding a Kubota tractor

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uncertainusurper t1_jedmc7m wrote

How hard is it to trace machinery? I wouldn’t mind an industrial backhoe for some gardening projects..

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Jthundercleese t1_jedmydq wrote

Getting it to your place would be the hardest part. Not being seen by someone inclined to call the cops, basically. They're slow, so you'd have to do it when there's no traffic to back up. Maybe like 2:45/3:00 in the morning. Well after bars close, but before the super early work shifts start. You'll want to bring extra fuel, and maybe chose something with tires that can drive a bit faster.

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HYPERBOLE_TRAIN t1_jeeczeh wrote

Most of these machines have a manufacturer-universal key. These machines do not abide by automobile conventions for operation.

This is to say that the person who knows how to operate the machine also has access to the key regardless of whether a key is in the ignition. The standard for disabling machines like this is to remove the “night-key”, which disables the battery and therefore the ignition. The problem with that is the universal nature of night-keys.

Edit to add that a lot of forklifts operate pretty similarly to autos, besides the rear-wheel steering. The mini gradeall in the pic takes a little more knowledge to get moving but an average driver could figure it out in a couple minutes.

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5uper5kunk t1_jef9lhj wrote

Yep, I work in industry where I'm constantly dealing with rented industrial equipment and I have a zippered pouch with like 75 to 100 random keys in it that I've accumulated over the years. I have never fail to be able to start any piece of keyless equipment that have I come across so long as it's something I've rented before.

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bigbangbilly t1_jefzkmw wrote

>manufacturer-universal key

>universal nature of night-keys

So basically a scoundrel distributing .jpegs of those keys can cause a lot of chaos.

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AwTickStick t1_jeed39d wrote

When I was kid we used to drive random construction equipment. We were shit, but they always had a key under the mat or in the ashtray

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