Quad bike driver dies during back-burn

A Queensland quad bike driver has died while operating the vehicle during a back-burn on a rural property in October 2018.

According to a Workplace Health and Safety Queensland incident alert, the operator was last seen driving up a road and was found deceased about 20 minutes later underneath the quad bike.

The alert said he was not wearing a helmet at the time of the incident. There were no witnesses and Workplace Health and Safety Queensland is working with the Queensland Police Service to determine the cause.

The incident alert said that quad bikes are versatile vehicles and suited to a wide range of work situations. They have low running costs and can get to where other larger vehicles cannot. However, if not operated properly they can be extremely dangerous.

According to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, quad bikes can be unstable due to their light weight and high centre of gravity. The risk of a rollover is increased when driving on steep terrain, driving at speed, driving on rough terrain or driving across a slope. Overloading the quad bike, fitting inappropriate attachments, carrying an unstable or unbalanced load and carrying liquid loads (which will affect the weight distribution on the quad bike if the liquid shifts) can also significantly affect the stability of the quad bike and increase the potential for a rollover.

The incident alert said operators should ensure:

• a quad bike is the right tool for the task;
• a compliant helmet and other personal protective equipment such as boots, gloves and eye protection is supplied and used;
• operators are trained (preferably through formal training) and competent before using a quad bike, particularly when riding on steep slopes, at speed, with attachments or carrying loads;
• operators have sufficient strength, weight and agility to operate safely and to react quickly to changing terrain or conditions;
• operators are aware of heat stress, fatigue or other limiting conditions which may affect concentration while operating a quad bike;
• the quad bike is maintained to manufacturer’s specifications, equipment such as brakes are working, tyres are inflated to the correct pressure and guards are in place.
   

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