3 minute read
Quad bikes - changes to the rules
from ThinkSafe vol. 2 no. 1 January 2020
by Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety
The risk of a rollover increases if the quad bike is crossing slopes, travelling at high speed, towing an attachment, travelling over rocky or uneven ground or carrying a heavy or unstable load; for example, chemicals for spraying.
Changes to the rules
On rural properties quad bikes are involved in more fatalities than motorcycles and more injuries than tractors yet, until now, quad bikes were not subject to an Australian Government product safety standard.
Both the Federal and WA Government product safety standards have recently changed to require businesses who supply new quad bikes (also known as all-terrain vehicles [ATVs]) to have improved markings and require the fitting of Operator Protection Devices (OPDs) at the time of supply. The changes to the laws are required to be fully implemented by 11 October 2021.
Top safety tips
• Choose the right vehicle for the job
• Riders must be physically able to control the vehicle, trained and wearing a helmet
• Don’t let children ride adult bikes.
Preventing injuries and deaths
• Critically assess whether a quad bike is the right vehicle for the job. Is the rider physically capable of an active riding style and over a potentially long time? Side-by-side vehicles may be more suitable in rural workplaces because the operator stays seated and they generally have rollover protection structures and restraints like seat belts. A motorbike could be good for some tasks given their mobility and light weight.
• Towing attachments or carrying loads on the front or rear racks of a quad bike is convenient, but will it affect stability and handling? Liquid loads such as spray tanks are particularly unstable as contents shift when cornering or crossing slopes.
• What terrain will the bike be used in? Rocky, steep, uneven, sandy or muddy terrain will greatly increase the risk of a quad bike rollover.
• Will you carry a passenger? Most quad bikes are designed for one rider. You should never carry a passenger on a single person quad bike.
Quad bike fatalities: a snapshot
(Source: Safe Work Australia)
Based on current evidence, the single highest cause of fatalities involves general use quad bikes rolling over sideways, to the left or right, pinning the operator and causing crush injuries or asphyxiation.
The estimated cost to the Australian economy of quad bike fatalities and injuries is at least $204 million per year.
Between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2018, there were 128 quad bike fatalities in Australia. Of these:
• approximately 11 per cent (14 fatalities) were children aged 11 years of age or under and more than one third (43 fatalities) were adults aged 60 years and over
• almost half (62 fatalities) were workers
• over half (77 fatalities) were the result of a rollover and 78 fatalities occurred on a farm or property
• at least 76 were due to unstable or uneven terrain (e.g. incline, ditch, embankment, sand or mud).
Duty of care
At workplaces, employers have a duty, as far as is practicable, to provide and maintain a safe working environment for employees including safe systems of work and safe plant and equipment.
As the regulator for workplace in Western Australia, our consistent advice over many years is that consideration must be given to the overall suitability of the quad bike product for the work tasks.
To assist with this, the Farm vehicle pre-purchase checklist – choosing the right vehicle for the job from WorkCover New South Wales is available on the Department’s website.
Quad bike safety videos available
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) safety videos show how quad bikes can cause injuries and death. The videos demonstrate a quad bike rollover with and without OPDs.
• Video demonstration of quad bike rollover without OPD fitted
• Video demonstration of quad bike rollover with OPD (quadbar) fitted
• Video demonstration of quad bike rollover with OPD (lifeguard roll bar) fitted
