Helmets for Zamboni drivers?

[RadioGaGa 162]

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/647562

Zam drivers in Hamilton have to wear helmets now. Anyone else seen this before?

[raganblink 82]

Well if they can see that as a hazard, then they need to require helmets for everyone while there has been a severe winter storm. i mean, those ice-covered sidewalks are dangerous too!

[Jordan 13]

Saw it at a kid's spring tournament in Niagara Falls...apparently some tool there fell of of the Zamboni and hit his head.

[Leafsrule16 5]

Is that not a little stupid? How many people have been hurt driving zambonis? Having a tool fall on your heads nothing, it happens helmet or not in every aspect of life. Helmets make sense for things like motor cycles and hockey but zambonis? No.

[shotty 7]

love the first part

If there's one thing most people think as they watch a Zamboni clean the ice, it's the massive danger the drivers face on every terrifying lap.

Whipping around the ice at speeds as high as 15 kilometres an hour and subjecting themselves to brutal centrifugal forces, it's clear the risk of a significant head injury to these brave men and women is constantly looming.

[dsjunior1388 81]

next time I stub my toe and bruise it I'm suing the sock manufacturer for a lack of protection, and the people who built the dresser for a lack of prevention in not employing new stub proof feet.

[Rustpot 1]

Shit man, the Zamboni driver at my college wears a tux for the 2nd break cleaning. I don't think they make formal wear helmets.

(The tux is courtesy of Center Line Tuxedos, run by Center Ice hockey shop in town, love the small town slashie stores.)

[Gummer12 134]

a Black 4500 man

Now do the guys in Hamilton have the option of Full Cage, Fishbowl, or Visor?

[Leafsrule16 5]

Next thing you know zamboni drivers are gonna be posting on phew with 4500's gettin chirped for not having white ear loops ..

[frankie56 0]

Helmets required only after drinking.

[mrruin 0]

thats ridiculous seriously. I can understand it maybe during league play in a small arena when the audience tries to throw things :P but security should take care of that.

Maybe they drink too much and fall off going hard into the corners...

[titand19 0]

Driving a car is much more dangerous. We should all wear our helmets with full cages when driving to prevent injury.

[team50 20]

Guy in our league Just couldn't wait and he shot a puck just as the driver was clearing the snow in the corner. It hit the driver in the head. No helmets but the league is super strict on players and pucks on the ice while the driver is on the ice and the doors are open.

[mrruin 0]

Guy in our league Just couldn't wait and he shot a puck just as the driver was clearing the snow in the corner. It hit the driver in the head. No helmets but the league is super strict on players and pucks on the ice while the driver is on the ice and the doors are open.

They had to fix the Zamboni twice because of stray pucks being eaten up. The local rinks now apply a very strict "nobody on the ice till the doors are closed" policy, else the team will be fined.

[ddbowdoin 0]

what the hell is this world coming to! jeepers

also, a note on zams and pucks... wow, they dont go well together. a friend used to run a rink near me and that is an EXPENSIVE repair!

[Gummer12 134]

Not just Pucks...Once had a Dasher screw get caught up in the Vertical Auger at the very top, siezed up the elevator, luckily is was right at the exit chute on the very top so we could get at it. Then a screw fell out of our board brush assembly and got caught up halfway up the vertical.....Talk about a MOTHERFUCKER of a fix. Wasn't expensive, per se, just a super pain in the ass.

[ts.krajewski 0]

Nope, but it makes sense I guess. People at my rink flip out if you are even moving the puck when they are on the ice to move the nets or something.

[eric42434224 1]

So they rationalize this because "city staffers fall under different insurance and risk management categories than facility users"?

So I can assume that the girl working the front desk collecting money for public skating is wearing a helmet as well?

[hamstercaster 2]

I believe it's a rule in Ontario. I used to play at the Jim Durell rink in Ottawa and the Zamboni drivers were wearing helmets. I'm sure they'd do otherwise if they could...

[Zamboni 6]

Its not an Ontario wide rule (yet) but I also saw Zamboni drivers in helmets at the Bell Capital Cup a few yeras back. Trainers too at some Ottawa area facilities, going on the ice they need to pop on a lid. Makes more sense than the Zamboni driver but it looks odd.

[hamstercaster 2]

I guess it could be a City of Ottawa Bylaw then.

[biff44 0]

This is going to sound corny, but I agree with the rule. You have ice with a thin layer of water on top. I does not get any more slippery than that. Add some teenager who is a little cocky, and you have the potential for him to go flying on his butt. If he is wearing a helmet, not a big deal. Not wearing a helmet, he probably has a 1 in 100 chance of severe brain injury or death. with those odds, I would side with the rink management on the rules.

Is it a big deal for construction workers to wear a hard hat? What are the odds of a brick falling onto a construction worker's head from 4 stories up? Not very great. But it DOES happen, and if it happens to you, you are going to be glad you are wearing a hard hat!

BTW, I have seen some Canadian games where some serious stuff was being lobbed onto the ice! Anyone ever been to Val D'Or? Maybe it is a local necessity?