@ Mahans: You need to have a healthy respect for a skidsteer, and know insinctively what to do if things are going haywire. I instinctively let go of the sticks and drop the boom, that will address 99% of the situations. I have never wore a helmet, nor have I seen anybody wearing one, but there are times... There is one thing I do wear (job & time dependant) and that's my seat belt. Not to prevent myself from being ejected (seat bar pretty my takes care of that), but more for stability, comfort, and added support to keep from sliding around in the seat during longer seat times. 75% of the time, I am jumping in and out of the machine every couple of minute, and don't wear it then, but anything longer term, like loading / moving dirt or manure, seatbelt makes a huge difference.