Warning issued following four quad bike fatalities

WorkSafe is advocating for a renewed focus in rural New Zealand on the risks linked to quad bike roll-overs, which have sadly claimed the lives of four farmers across the nation in the previous three weeks

New Zealand’s workplace safety regulator says it’s conducting an investigation into all four fatalities, with the initial incident taking place on 18 July in Wairarapa.

“Our sympathy is with every family and community mourning these sudden deaths. Although our investigations are in their early stages, the trend is worrying enough for us to sound the alarm already,” says WorkSafe principal inspector Graham Bates.

“Doing a risk assessment of your terrain and tasks must be the top priority before getting on a quad bike. This is a time of year when we are experiencing variable weather and growth, and variable ground conditions. Sloped surfaces and steep terrain can be especially problematic and have sadly been a factor in some of the recent cases.”

WorkSafe says incidents involving farm vehicles rank among the leading two causes of workplace fatalities in Aotearoa, making agriculture a key focus area in WorkSafe’s updated strategy.

See full details here.