Push for protection devices to be fitted on quad bikes: Victoria

Rollover protection may need to be fitted to quad bikes in Victorian workplaces under a new safety approach brought in by WorkSafe Victoria to reduce fatalities and serious injuries.

WorkSafe said under the approach it will now accept rollover protection devices on quad bikes as a means of controlling the risk to operators in the event of a rollover.

This decision means that if a duty holder (normally an employer) wants to use a quad bike in the workplace — and there is a risk of rollover — WorkSafe will require a suitably designed and tested operator protective device (OPD) to be fitted.

The protection devices will not be mandatory; however, WorkSafe said if the quad bike is at risk of rollover, and the risk is not eliminated or appropriately controlled, then a safety inspector may issue the duty holder with an improvement notice which will require them to eliminate or control the risk.

Non-compliance with an improvement notice could lead to an investigation by WorkSafe, and ultimately prosecution through the Courts.

WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Marnie Williams said WorkSafe had been closely following the debate on the suitability of rollover protection on quad bikes for a number of years, which included the views put forward by the manufacturers.

“We have also been listening to the concerns of the medical profession, hospitals, community groups and agricultural safety bodies about the high fatality and injury toll associated with quad bike use,” she said.

Williams said there was enough collective evidence from several coronial inquiries, hospital injury data and academic research to convince WorkSafe that this was the right thing to do.

“The simple fact is that doing nothing is no longer an option,” said Williams. “We are confident that, when added to our current quad bike activities, these extra measures will help save lives.”

WorkSafe will continue to consult with farmers and other industry stakeholders about the changes, in particular its new approach to rollover protection.

A risk assessment tool is also currently being developed to help duty holders determine when rollover protection should be fitted.

Other actions under the new approach include supporting the development of a star rating system for quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles with other state OHS regulators, as well as contributing to an Australia-wide initiative to develop a national design standard for OPDs fitted to quad bikes.

For more information, go to www.worksafe.vic.gov.au.

Source