Guidance Note
Ag bike safety
This information sheet provides tips for minimising risks when riding motorbikes and quad bikes.
November 2009
Ag bikes are useful for many farm activities, however
they are the cause of many deaths and injuries on farms.
The term ‘ag bikes’ refers to two and three wheel
motorbikes and four wheel ‘quad bikes’. Three wheel
ag bikes are no longer generally available as their
dangers are more widely recognised.
Recent incidents
There have been many farm fatalities and serious
injuries from the use of ag bikes, including:
• a 16-year-old who died when his quad bike rolled
off a bridge and down an embankment. His
passenger was also injured
• a 19-year-old who was thrown from a quad bike
when it struck an irrigation bank. He was severely
injured and required hospitalisation
• a 63-year-old part-time farm hand who was found
drowned in a dam. He appeared to have lost
control of his motorbike and rode into the dam
• a 50-year-old farmer who lost control of his quad
bike while crossing a shallow gully on his paddock.
The vehicle rolled on him causing head injuries
• a 54-year-old farmer who struck a star picket in
the grass while riding his quad bike across a
paddock. He was found lying under the upturned
bike with severe head injuries
• an 11-year-old boy who suffered serious injuries
when he was thrown from the quad bike he was
riding on a riverbank. He later died in hospital.
The causes of death and injury
Falls from quad bikes often result in the rider being
rolled on by the vehicle or pinned underneath. Lack of
training, experience and use of proper protective
equipment contributes to the severity of injuries.
WorkSafe Victoria is a trading name of the Victorian WorkCover Authority.
Other factors contributing to ag bike incidents
include:
• excessive speed
• uneven or unfamiliar terrain
• striking obstacles such as humps, logs, rocks,
embankments
• carrying a passenger or overloading as a result of
load, attachment or towing
• unsafe driving – the proper shifting of body weight
is required to safely manoeuvre a quad bike
• lack of training/instruction.
Tips for minimising risks
It is essential to assess all ag bikes for the potential
to cause injury and adopt safe procedures to deal
with identified risks. Use the safety measures listed in
the table below to assist you.
Wear an approved motorcycle helmet as you would
when driving on the road.
Wear long sleeves and pants, sturdy over-the-ankle
boots, and gloves to provide protection if you come
off the vehicle.
Wear eye protection to prevent injury from insects,
branches or stones.
Follow the riding and maintenance advice in the
vehicle manual.
Take extra care when using attachments such as
spray tanks and other equipment as they can change
the vehicle’s centre of gravity and affect its stability.
Ensure any attachments are designed and
approved for use on your quad bike.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommended load limits.
Look out for potential hazards when riding, such as
rocks, bumps, irrigation pipes and wildlife.
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Guidance Note Ag bike safety
Use familiar farm tracks where possible.
Use care when turning, approaching a rise or navigating
an obstacle. If you are not sure of your ability to
clear an obstacle, find another route or go back.
Never carry passengers on your quad bike. Carrying
passengers is dangerous.
Never allow children to operate a quad bike without
training and appropriate supervision. Children do
not always have the skill, judgement, weight or limb
size to control a quad bike safely. Manufacturers
recommend a minimum age of 16 for riding a quad
bike.
Never ride a quad bike when fatigued.
If you are riding for long periods, take frequent rest
breaks.
Read and understand the manual, particularly the
safety information. Heed all warning labels on the
machine.
Train all operators, particularly employees, in how to
operate a quad bike safely.
Further information
WorkSafe Advisory Service
Toll-free: 1800 136 089
Email: [email protected]
worksafe.vic.gov.au
Note: This guidance material has been prepared using the best
information available to WorkSafe Victoria. Any information about
legislative obligations or responsibilities included in this material is only
applicable to the circumstances described in the material. You should
always check the legislation referred to in this material and make your
own judgement about what action you may need to take to ensure
you have complied with the law. Accordingly, the Victorian WorkCover
Authority extends no warranties as to the suitability of the information for
your specific circumstances.
What the law says
If you are an employer and the owner of ag bikes, you
have a duty under the Occupational Health and Safety
Act 2004 to ensure that plant (which includes motor
bikes and quad bikes) are safely maintained and used
in a safe manner.
You must fully understand the risks associated with
ag bikes and know the appropriate safety precautions.
You must ensure anyone riding your bike has the
necessary skills and understanding to operate it
safely and responsibly.
As an employer and owner of any ag bikes used in
workplaces (other than public roads), you also have
duties under the Occupational Health and Safety
Regulations 2007 to ensure that hazards of using
plant have been identified and assessed and the risk
controlled. The WorkSafe publication, A handbook for
workplaces – Quad bikes on farms provides practical
guidance on how to comply with the Regulations.
GUI0004/01/11.09
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