Farmer fatally injured while towing a loaded trailer using a quad bike

Background

A farmer operating a quad bike was towing an unbraked, caged trailer loaded with 3 fully grown sheep.

The farmer suffered a fatal strike to the head when the load shifted and the quad bike tipped over.

The farmer was not wearing a helmet, exposing them to the risk of head injury.

Agriculture makes up only 2% of Victoria’s workforce, but regularly accounts for about 10% of workplace deaths. About 50% of these deaths have involved farm vehicles over the last 5 years.

Safety issues

Unsafe use of plant

The quad bike was being used to tow an unbraked load that exceeded the manufacturer’s rating for 300 kg.

The load was live animals, which contributed to load instability.

These factors exposed the operator to the risk of the quad bike becoming unstable and tipping over.

Lack of protective equipment

The farmer was not wearing a helmet and was exposed to the risk of head injury.

Recommended ways to control risks

Plan your work

Consider if a quad bike is the most appropriate vehicle to use when a towing a loaded trailer. 

Quad bike payloads can increase the risk of rollover. When a quad bike is carrying a load, take extra precautions:

• secure the load so it cannot move
• containers, such as spray tanks holding liquid, should have baffles
• minimise the weight of loads, and never exceed manufacturer’s specifications
• ride at slow speed, especially when turning
• avoid steep terrain and slopes.

In addition to operator protection devices, wear a helmet to reduce the risk of injury when operating a quad bike.

Legal duties

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (OHS Act), employers have duties which they must fulfil so far as is reasonably practicable. Their duties include:

• providing and maintaining a working environment that is safe and without risks to health
• providing and maintaining plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health
• maintaining a workplace under their management or control in a condition that is safe and without risks to health
• providing employees and independent contractors with information, instruction, training or supervision as is necessary for them to perform work safely and without risks to health
• ensuring people who are not employees are not exposed to risks to their health and safety arising from the employer's conduct.

Self-employed persons must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons are not exposed to risks to their health or safety arising from the conduct of their undertaking. 

Employers and self-employed people must also, so far as is reasonably practicable:

• identify all hazards associated with the use of plant at the workplace
• control risks associated with plant according to the plant hierarchy of control
• ensure the plant is inspected to the extent necessary to ensure that risks associated with its use are monitored
• ensure plant that is not in use is left in a state that does not create a risk for any person.