Ag bike safely

• Ag bike safely ( )
  Document Type: Guidance Note
  Keycode: web only
  Industry: Farming 
  Division Author: Manufacturing & Agriculture
  Publication Date: 06 June 2005
  Date First Published: 06 March 2001
  Summary: This guidance note provides information about the dangers of Ag bikes and tips for minimising risks.

Issued: March 2001

Ag bikes are useful for many farm activities, however they are the cause of many deaths and injuries on farms.

The term "Ag bikes" refers to two wheel motor bikes and three and four wheel "all terrain vehicles" (or ATVs). Three wheel Ag bikes are no longer generally available as their dangers are more widely recognised.

Recent incidents
In recent months a number of farm fatalities and serious injuries have resulted from the use of Ag bikes:

• a 16-year-old boy died and his passenger was injured when their four wheel ATV rolled off a bridge and down an embankment.
• a 19-year-old man was thrown from an ATV when it struck an irrigation bank. He was severely injured and required hospitalisation.
• a 63-year-old part-time farm hand was found drowned in a dam. He appeared to have lost control of his motor bike and rode into the dam.
• a 50-year-old farmer lost control of his four wheel ATV while crossing a shallow gully on his paddock. The ATV rolled on him causing head injuries.
• a 54-year-old farmer struck a star picket in the grass while riding his ATV across a paddock. He was found lying under the upturned bike with severe head injuries.
• an 11-year-old boy suffered serious injuries when he was thrown from an ATV he was riding on a riverbank. He later died in hospital.

The causes of death and injury
ATV spills often result in the rider being rolled on by the vehicle or pinned underneath. These incidents and most other Ag bike incidents result from a lack of training and experience and lack of proper protective equipment.

Other factors contributing to Ag bike incidents are:

• excessive speed
• uneven or unfamiliar terrain
• obstacles such as humps, logs, rocks, embankments
• carrying a passenger or overloading
• unsafe driving. The proper shifting of body weight is required to safely manoeuvre an ATV

Tips for minimising risks
It is essential to assess all Ag bikes for the potential to cause injury. Adopt safe procedures to deal with that risk.

Safety measures include:

• wearing an approved motorcycle helmet as you would when driving on the road
• wearing long sleeves and pants, sturdy over-the-ankle boots and gloves to provide protection if you come off the vehicle
• wearing eye protection to prevent injury from insects, branches or stones
• following the riding and maintenance advice in the vehicle manual
• taking extra care when using attachments such as spray tanks and other equipment as they can change the vehicle's centre of gravity and affect its stability
• ensuring any attachments are designed for use on your ATV
• following the manufacturer's recommended load limits
• looking out for potential hazards when riding, such as rocks, bumps, irrigation pipes and wildlife
• where possible, using familiar farm tracks
• using care when turning, approaching a rise or navigating an obstacle. If you are not sure of your ability to clear an obstacle, find another route or go back
• never carrying passengers on ATVs. Carrying passengers is dangerous
• never allowing children to operate an ATV without training and appropriate supervision. Children do not always have the skill, judgement, weight or limb size to control an ATV safely. Manufacturers recommend a minimum age of 16 for riding ATVs
• never riding an ATV when fatigued. Fatigue limits the ability to control an ATV safely. Operating an ATV is more physically demanding than driving a car. If you are riding for long periods, take frequent rest breaks
• reading and understanding the manual, particularly the safety information. Heed all warning labels on the machine
  training all operators, particularly employees, in how to operate an ATV safely

What the law says
If you are an employer and the owner of any Ag bikes, you have a duty under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 to ensure that plant (which includes motor bikes and ATVs) are safely maintained and used in a safe manner.

You must fully understand the risks associated with Ag bikes and know the appropriate safety precautions. You must ensure anyone riding your bike has the necessary skills and understanding to operate it safely and responsibly.

As an employer and owner of any Ag bikes used in workplaces (other than public roads), you also have duties under the Occupational Health and Safety (Plant) Regulations 1995 to ensure that hazards of using plant have been identified and assessed and the risk controlled. The Code of Practice for Plant provides practical guidance for complying with these regulations.

This guidance note is consistent with the position statement - ATV safety. The statement was issued by Farmsafe Victoria in February 2001 and is supported by WorkCover.

Acts and Regulations

Acts and regulations are available from Information Victoria on 1300 366 356 or order online at www.bookshop.vic.gov.au.

View the legislation at Victorian Law Today: www.legislation.vic.gov.au.

Standards Australia

Copies of standards can be obtained by contacting Standards Australia on 1300 654 646 or by visiting the web site at www.standards.com.au.