Landmark fine sends message
A landmark fine over quad bike safety shows farmers and their workers need to be serious about their responsibilities, says Manawatu’s Federated Farmers president.
James Stewart said farmers were now more safety conscious – and they needed to be.
‘‘ The thing is, you can’t wrap a farmer in cotton wool. There is always going to be some risk. But we should minimise that.’’
A Marlborough man has been fined $ 15,000 for not wearing a helmet while riding a quad bike at work – and for carrying a helmetless child as a passenger.
Herd manager Rangi Holmes was sentenced at the Nelson District Court on two charges under the Health and Safety in Employment Act for failing to take all practicable steps to ensure his own safety and that of his passenger.
Worksafe New Zealand took the prosecution after inspectors repeatedly saw Holmes riding a quad bike in the Rai Valley while carrying children, without a helmet in sight. Over the 20 months from February 2012 five such incidents were observed.
‘‘ If it was just one visit, then I’d be concerned, but he was warned and ignored that. He was risking his own life and that of the children,’’ Stewart said.
He said there was always the temptation to jump on the back of a quad bike.
‘‘ It’s a tough one. Often it is easier to get on a bike. But farmers and workers have to take some responsibility themselves.
‘‘ Just because you wear a helmet doesn’t guarantee safety,’’ he added.
He said he had personal experience with a fatality on his farm at Hiwinui.
‘‘ It was
devastating.
But
in
his case a helmet wouldn’t have saved his life. However, for me, safety is paramount.’’
The Farmsafe national manager, Feilding- based Grant Hadfield, said while the law did not insist farmers and farm staff should wear helmets, it did say all practicable steps should be taken for safe riding.
‘‘ And the judiciary expect best practice to be used all the time. So helmets should be worn. This $ 15,000 fine is the first substantial fine [ for a quad bike],’’ he said.
‘‘ Anecdotally, we believe more people are wearing helmets on farms and sales of farm helmets have gone up. I believe there has been a shift.’’
He said more people knew it was their responsibility under the Health and Safety Act to provide helmets.
Farmsafe educator David Skiffington said there were times when children had to go out on the farm.
‘‘ But there are safer ways than going on a quad. Four- by- fours, for instance.’’
Worksafe NZ’s general manager of health and safety operations Ona de Rooy said Holmes put his own life, and the life of the children he carried as passengers, needlessly at risk.
‘‘ Quad bikes are inherently dangerous. On average five people are killed in quad bike accidents and another 850 are injured. They are not toys and need to be ridden with care.’’
De Rooy said quad bikes were designed for one person and should not be used to carry passengers.
‘‘ This case sends a clear message to quad bike riders – use your head, and wear a helmet,’’ she said.
A report from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said fatalities from quad bikes ranged from two to seven per year. Quad bikes were involved in about 28 per cent of all work- related farm deaths.