MEDIA ReleaSE
6 SEPTEMBER 2011
Spring Visits To 400 Farms To Check On Quad Bike Safety
Around 400 farms across New Zealand can expect visits from health and safety inspectors during spring, to check on how
quad bikes are being used on their farm.
The Department of Labour's next round of farm visits follows a successful phase from April to mid June this year, where
376 farms across the country were visited as part of the quad bike safety campaign.
Of those farms visited, 117 received written warnings or improvement notices - requiring them to take action to improve
the way quad bikes were being used on their farm.
"From September to November we'll be back out talking to farmers in a bid to reduce the number of serious quad bike
accidents on farms," says the Department's Deputy Chief Executive, Labour Group, Lesley Haines.
"The statistics say it all - on average 850 people are injured each year while riding quad bikes on farms and five die.
We must bring this toll down."
"We're challenging unsafe behaviour on quad bikes - that means regularly getting out and ensuring farmers are taking the
right safety steps.
The Department launched its quad bike safety campaign last year - it has four key safety steps:
* ensure riders are trained and experienced * always wear a helmet * never let kids ride adult quad bikes * choose the
right vehicle for the job.
"Farms are workplaces and farmers must remember that they have a responsibility to ensure the health and safety of their
staff," Ms Haines says.
"Where we find people working with quad bikes in a dangerous way we will take action. This can range from warnings or
penalties, to stopping quad bikes being used until safety issues have been rectified.
"The Department will consider prosecution where a worker has been seriously injured or killed at work because key safety
steps have not been taken," says Ms Haines.
ENDS