Another farm death as quad bike rolls

A 35-year-old German national has died on a Wharepū hanga farm after her quad bike rolled on Friday morning.

Police are following up with the German embassy to contact her family. The Serious Crash Unit and WorkSafe were notified.

This year six workplace accidents have been recorded, all within the first eight days of January. Five of these involved farm vehicles including another quad bike accident in Ohakune last Monday.

Vehicles are involved in 73 per cent of all workplace fatalities. Agriculture is involved in more than 19 per cent of those.

“For a good health and safety culture, there’s three parts to that. One is leadership. Two is risk management and three is worker engagement,” said WorkSafe New Zealand’s head of general inspectorate Jo Pugh.

“What we need our farming community to do is actually stand up or step up.” Identifying the risks for each job or situation and communicate them with other people involved.

“Firstly, choosing the right vehicle for the task, think about the terrain. Think about the how many people you need to do it. Secondly wear your seatbelt, they’re there for a reason and unfortunately people are dying in this country because they are not wearing their seatbelts,” said Jo.

Always wear a helmet on a motorbike and crush protection devices can be installed. ACC can subsidise the cost.

“Health and safety is about caring for your people, caring for your family, your community,” said Jo. “Lose the concept that health and safety is paperwork and compliance. It’s about protecting your wha¯ nau.”