SafeWork NSW is calling on agricultural businesses to ensure stringent quad bike safety measures in light of a recent calamity involving a laborer. Failing to enforce these crucial precautions led to fines and legal repercussions for Integrated Agricultural Developments Pty Ltd, highlighting the essential role of safety management systems such as Bluesafe SWMS or Bluesafe WHS Management System in farm operations.
In June 2021, a 42-year-old labour hire farmhand placed at Integrated Agricultural Developments’ vineyard encountered a severe accident on a quad bike, resulting in back and pelvic fractures. The vineyard, found guilty of not undertaking its workplace duty, was ordered to pay $195,000, plus legal costs. The company operates multiple vineyards across Central Tablelands.
Integrated Agricultural Developments committed two key offences – first, failure to manage work safety effectively, and second, neglecting to consult with the labour hirer about distinct work-related hazards. This incident underlines the importance of obeying safety regulations and implementing a well-designed WHS management system.
One aspect where the business faltered was the non-enforcement of helmet usage while riding quad bikes, and failure to equip the bikes with an operator protective device. Convicted on 27 June 2024, the company has a window of 28 days from that date to contest the decision.
Working machinery including tractors, quad bikes, and side-by-side vehicles are commonly linked with farming fatalities. Since 2001, over 56 deaths have occurred in NSW due to quad bike mishaps alone.
For farming professionals relying on quad bikes, SafeWork NSW cautions users to comply rigorously with the manufacturer’s guidelines, especially those concerning load limits and weight distribution. Overloading quad bikes can disrupt the braking system, tamper with the vehicle’s centre of gravity, making the bike unstable and prone to rollovers.
Farmers can avail a free advisory service provided by SafeWork NSW to devise an action plan tackling these safety challenges. Participating in the program makes them eligible for a $1000 safety rebate applicable to farm improvements.
Head of SafeWork NSW, Trent Curtin emphasised the zero-tolerance policy that will be adopted by SafeWork Inspectors if they encounter workers operating quad bikes without helmets or without using an operator protective device. He stressed on the costly consequences, both financial and potentially fatal, of disregarding workplace safety. His advice to Australian farmers is to review their farm safety measures promptly so as to maintain a safe environment for everyone.
Detailed information on quad bike safety and the court judgement is available via the NSW Government website and the Caselaw NSW website respectively.
Original article link: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/news/safework-media-releases/ignoring-quad-bike-safety-is-not-worth-the-cost