Two deaths on NSW farms in the span of one day prompts safety alert

SafeWork NSW is urging farm workers to exercise caution while operating side-by-side vehicles and quad bikes, following two tragic fatalities that occurred within a 24-hour period.

A man died on a Peelwood farm at 2.45pm on Tuesday (26 November) after the quad bike he was riding tipped over.

On Wednesday, November 27, at around 1pm, a farm manager lost his life due to drowning on a property situated between Orange and Dubbo after the side-by-side vehicle he was operating overturned and fell into a creek.

According to SafeWork, more than 57 people have died in NSW due to quad bike-related incidents since 2001. In addition, there have been 21 fatalities involving side-by-side vehicles.

The head of SafeWork, Trent Curtin, said it is essential for farm managers and workers to review their safety measures to avert similar incidents.

“Remember the safety features on your vehicle could save your life. Just by wearing a helmet you reduce the risk of fatality in a quad bike incident by 40 per cent,” he said.

“I want to remind all farmers and workers using quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles to please take care.”

For additional information, please refer to this link.