(Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3107...yes-quad-bikes)
I wasn't convinced about 'Who's next" before but now I am.
Quad bike accidents are a big issue for ACC and are high on the corporation's radar.
The news comes after the death of 40-year-old Alton sharemilker Rhys Wilson in a quad bike accident on a Manutahi farm on Thursday.
ACC agricultural workplace programme manager Peter Jones said there were 400 serious entitlement claims nationally because of ATV accidents.
About 2000 medical claims where entitlement was not paid because injuries were minor and involved cuts, burns and scratches were also made.
"There is a human cost as well as a financial cost," he said.
Of the 400 claims made 200 involved accidents that happened during recreational use of ATVs, 150 were farm-related and 50 happened on the road.
Farm-related accidents seemed to be on the decrease, he said, while non-work related ones were on the rise. In Taranaki, the most recent figures available only cover July last year to March, but there have been 23 new entitlement claims and 46 active entitlement claims.
The cost of these active claims stands at about $685,000.
This is already more than the 2007-08 12-month period where the cost of 23 new claims and 37 active was $583,234.
Taranaki does not hold the title of the most claims made but Waikato, another big farming region, holds the top spot and Manawatu makes it into the top three, with Auckland in second place. The biggest bone of contention seemed to be whether or not roll bars fitted to the bikes were worthwhile.
While many manufacturers claimed they did not make a difference, Mr Jones said other evidence was to the contrary for the bikes with "poor error tolerance".
"I'm certainly not convinced of that. Roll bars could be worth fitting and if the bike lands on top of you there is some protection."
The corporation was working with other agencies including Federated Farmers and Farm Safe, who run a free ATV course.
"We're always trying to promote safety," said Mr Jones.
"We're constantly working on the issue. It's high on the radar for us."
It was essential to wear safety gear including helmets, boots and gloves and not let children ride ATVs unsupervised, he said.
Recently the Department of Labour said ATVs were the main cause of workplace deaths and urged farmers to ensure staff were giving safety equipment.
The department's chief adviser for health and safety Dr Geraint Emrys said ATVs were the most widely-used farm vehicles.
"It's imperative those who use them have the right training and equipment."
Referring to a case in the Palmerston North District Court where a farmer, Trevor Mark Schroder, was fined $25,000 and ordered to pay $20,000 reparation to his employee, John Haar, who suffered serious head injuries after an ATV accident in November last year, Dr Emrys said ATVs need to be respected.
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"The she'll be right attitude just doesn't cut it. ATVs need to be treated with respect. The consequences of not doing so can be significant."
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Originally Posted by sAsLEX
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