SafeWork NSW is reminding people working on farms to take care when using side-by-side vehicles and quad bikes after two fatal incidents within 24 hours.
At 2.45pm Tuesday (26 November), a man was killed on a farm in Peelwood in the state’s south-east when the quad bike he was riding rolled over.
At 1pm yesterday (27 November), a farm manager drowned on a farm located between Orange and Dubbo, when the side-by-side vehicle he was driving rolled into a creek.
Since 2001, there have been more than 57 deaths in NSW from quad bike incidents. A further 21 people have died on side-by-side vehicles.
SafeWork NSW is urging those working on farms to manage the risks associated with quad bikes and side-by side-vehicles by:
- making sure the vehicle is appropriate for the task, the terrain and the rider,
- avoiding steep terrain,
- ride at a speed that’s suitable for the conditions,
- always wear a helmet,
- always wear a seatbelt in side-by-side vehicles, and
- have an operator protection device fitted on all quad bikes.
Businesses are reminded of their duty to identify hazards and manage risks to health and safety in accordance with the provisions of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017.
Visit quad bike and side-by-side vehicles
