“Our sympathy is with every family and community mourning these sudden deaths,” WorkSafe principal inspector Graham Bates said.
“Although our investigations are in their early stages, the trend is worrying enough for us to sound the alarm already.”
Bates said doing a risk assessment of terrain and tasks was the top priority before getting on a quad bike — especially at this time of year, with variable weather, growth, and ground conditions.
“Sloped surfaces and steep terrain can be especially problematic and have sadly been a factor in some of the recent cases.”
Bates said farm vehicle incidents were one of the top two causes of workplace deaths in New Zealand.
“Which is why agriculture is a priority sector under WorkSafe’s new strategy — we are targeting the biggest risks and working with the sector to improve health and safety in agriculture.”
He said that while farming consisted of “a never-ending list of tasks and constant reprioritisation” those challenges shouldn’t contribute to loss of life or injury.
“The people with the most power to influence this are those on the ground each day doing the work.”
WorkSafe’s messages to reduce harm on-farm
- Install a crush protection or rollover protection device on quad bikes
- Choose the right vehicle for the job and ensure that the driver is competent
- Always use a seatbelt and helmet
- Consider quad bike training
- Prioritise maintenance, including attachments, good tyres and brakes
- Remember tired people make mistakes
- Ensure that the vehicle is safely stopped and brakes are fully engaged before getting off
- Seek assistance when needed — neighbouring farmers are always more than willing to lend a hand.
