TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES
January 2014
3
Quad bike safety messages making a difference by Denise Gunn
Raising the awareness of quad bike safety has seen some success between the Christmas and New Year holiday period according to Federated Farmers’ Health and Safety spokesperson Jeanette Maxwell. Mrs Maxwell said there were no quad bike deaths recorded during this period. As an active member of the Agricultural Health and Safety Council, Federated Farmers is working to improve New Zealand’s on-farm safety record across the board. “We try very hard to get the safety messages through,” said Mrs Maxwell. Agriculture has one of the highest injury rates for any industry in New Zealand. And the number of fatalities for the industry is four times the combined industry rate for New Zealand. Statistics also show that the summer months are when the majority of workplace injuries and fatalities happen. And with more children on the farm over the summer holidays, extra precautions should be taken. Vehicle injuries account for 18 per cent of all injuries on dairy farms and 11 per cent of all injuries on sheep and beef farms. Accidents arising from the use of quad bikes, particularly quad bike rollovers, are a significant factor in these figures. Mrs Maxwell said there are a lot of reasonable and practical
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steps that can be taken to get accident rates down. “Ensure the bike is well maintained and has suitable tyres for the terrain to be covered. “If you are covering difficult terrain, ask yourself if the bike is the right tool for the job.” Federated Farmers has advocated for safety aids to alert riders if their bike is in gear, as well as a reversing beeper. The Federation also emphasises wearing a helmet, training and the use of age-appropriate bikes. Mrs Maxwell said statistics show quad bike riders who are mentally stressed are more likely to have an accident. “If you are suffering from mental fatigue, you are more likely to have an accident. “You are also more likely to have an accident later in the day.” “Ensure you are well rested, well-fed and hydrated, and not stressed out,” she said.
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