Richard Loe hits out on quad bike safety after farm deaths

Worksafe's Safer Farms Ambassador, Richard Loe. Photo / Supplied

Former All Black Richard Loe says the safety message is not getting through to the farming community, following tragic quad bike fatalities over the weekend on farms in Hawke's Bay and King Country.

Loe, who is Worksafe's Safer Farms Ambassador, told The Country's Jamie Mackay quad bikes were vehicles and had to be treated in the appropriate manner.

"When you're going out to do a job on farm you have to select the right vehicle for the right job.

"The person operating that vehicle must have the ability to operate it in the appropriate manner.

"It's just not quad bikes and side-by-sides. It's utes, tractors etc. too. We're just killing too many."

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Loe, who received a nasty head gash in a farm accident in 2017, said it's not until you've had an accident or near miss yourself you realise how lucky you are to get away with it, if you survive.

"At the moment, too many [are] having the attitude of 'she'll be right' and not thinking about what they're doing properly."

He said it was the manufacturers' recommendation that helmets are worn.

"It's like cyclists on the road ... the serious ones wear it, the idiots don't."

"You're meant to wear a helmet on a quad bike or a two-wheeler and the harness is there on a side-by-side to wear."

"It's a bit like, dare I say it ... farmers that have their safety belt of the ute ... clicked in [behind them] so it doesn't beep when they're driving their flash new ute around the farm."

"Yes it might seem clever ... but it doesn't really take that much time [to click in your seat belt properly].

"I've got two quad bikes on farm. Guess what? There's two helmets.

"What ... irritates me and probably irritates WorkSafe occasionally ... you see these photos of people on quad bikes with one sitting side saddle on each side of the back carrier. The bikes aren't designed for it.

"People just push the risk. The she'll be right attitude has to stop. You have to have a good look at yourself. If you're not playing by the rules, you need to, because the unfortunate thing is – you're the one that's going to get hurt."

One person died when a quad bike rolled in the King Country settlement of Aria about 3pm on Saturday.

Two others involved in the crash were seriously injured.

A Central Hawke's Bay man who died in another quad bike accident at the weekend has been named as Daniel Taylor.

The 30-year-old was taking part in an organised trail ride event on a farm at Mangaorapa on Saturday.

A police spokesperson said Taylor was in a side-by-side farm vehicle at the time of the incident which appeared to be "accidental".

"The event was well managed from a safety perspective."

A WorkSafe spokeswoman said it was investigating the incident.

Meanwhile, a man was airlifted to Dunedin hospital today after being trapped in tractor machinery at a Southland farm.