Does your team have guidelines how to safely transport your robot ?
 

Hello All,

I was wondering how many teams have guidelines on how to safelly lift a robot to be loaded or unloaded and how many students you have assisting in doing the lifting ?


Cheers,
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Re: Does your team have guidelines how to safely transport your robot ?
 

My guideline is two students who are physically strong enough to do it, and they need to coordinate with each other before lifting. Any more than two students is risky because it becomes disorganized and uncoordinated.

Re: Does your team have guidelines how to safely transport your robot ?
 

Every team should have a rule about not shouting "ROBOT!" when transporting a robot around the pits/arena. It doesn't add any amount of safety and can be really annoying. Politely asking someone in the way to move is much better. I, like a lot of new people, assumed shouting "ROBOT!" was required when I went to my first competition, because so many teams were doing it. :rolleyes:

Re: Does your team have guidelines how to safely transport your robot ?
 

do a quick internet search for "team lifting guidelines" and some very nice information comes up.

Re: Does your team have guidelines how to safely transport your robot ?
 

Put your head up and your butt down. Translation: Lift with your legs.

Re: Does your team have guidelines how to safely transport your robot ?
 

I dunno about that. It's a tradition by this point! Plus there aren't many other things to shout when rolling 120 lbs of robot around.:D

How about not shouting unless needed?

Re: Does your team have guidelines how to safely transport your robot ?
 

It's a faulty tradition that causes more problems than it tries to solve. Unless the person doing the shouting is standing right in front of your robot, he or she is drawing attention away from the robot itself.

There should be no reason to shout anything when rolling your robot. I often see teams treating the robot cart as a "mother duck" with members all trailing behind it, so all the calls of "ROBOT!" are coming from a spot after the actual robot has passed it. Instead, teams should have a vanguard walking in front of the robot cart, quietly and calmly providing a clear path for the robot to follow in. It's so much more effective -- and polite -- to ask individuals directly to make room for you to pass by, rather than adding to the chaos by broadcasting a nonspecific warning.

Re: Does your team have guidelines how to safely transport your robot ?
 

At the same time there is far too often way too many people idling in the pits blocking the path of teams going to and fro the pits. There is no reason to have an entire team in the pit area doing nothing particularly useful and just hanging around.

Re: Does your team have guidelines how to safely transport your robot ?
 

That may be true, but people screaming "ROBOT" as loud as they can makes me want to call in Terry Tate. All it takes is someone saying "excuse me, we're trying to clear a path for the robot".

Re: Does your team have guidelines how to safely transport your robot ?
 

As with any heavy object, one must always lift with your legs and not your back. Objects over 60 pounds, to be safely lifted/carried any distance, must be done with at least two people. It's also a good idea to wear gloves when carrying so you don't scratch yourself on anything, though sharp edges/corners should be filed and taped.

Re: Does your team have guidelines how to safely transport your robot ?
 

We do have only one person yell, and he is in the front. And the other teams from the AZ regional also respond with "Robot!" when they're passed.

Re: Does your team have guidelines how to safely transport your robot ?
 

We normally have 2 guys on each end who are either going directly from the cart to the floor/bench/whatever or from whatever to the cart. Ideally, they don't have the robot long. And don't forget the safety gloves!

As for shooting "robot", I think it's more for the sake of tradition and fun than anything. Most people realize that they're at a robotics competition and have an eye out. If you manage to sneak up on someone with a 120 pound machine, it's impressive. I think "ROBOT!" is more a rally call, akin to "We're headed out, wish us luck!".

Re: Does your team have guidelines how to safely transport your robot ?
 

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahha.


No.

Re: Does your team have guidelines how to safely transport your robot ?
 

Here are two clips that got our team to stop yelling "ROBOT" ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMAZtd0b-J0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tESZptKh_p4