Health And Safety Failings: Farm worker seriously injured in quad bike incident

Farm worker seriously injured in quad bike incident where he was not provided with a helmet

Key Facts

• The HSE have urged farmers to wear helmets while riding quad bikes after a worker was seriously injured
• A 17-year-old worker sustained serious head injuries in an incident in 2014, where he had not been provided with a helmet
• The firm was fined £6,000 plus costs of £4,693.

The Case

A 17-year-old farm worker was seriously injured in a quad bike accident, prompting an agricultural safety chief to urge farmers not to ignore simple life-saving advice and wear helmets while riding quad bikes.

In an incident in April 2014, the farm worker was trapped underneath an overturned quad bike for an hour. He sustained a serious head wound that later needed 17 stitches.

The worker was instructed to use the farm’s quad bike, but was give no training and was not provided with a helmet to wear.

The case was heard at Carlisle Magistrates Court where the company pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 9(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. They were fined £6,000 plus costs of £4,693.

What The HSE had to say

Speaking after the hearing, Rick Brunt, head of agriculture at HSE, said

‘Vehicle-related accidents are a significant problem in agriculture and one of the biggest killers. Only people who are trained and capable should operate all-terrain vehicles, like quad bikes. Every year, on average, we see two deaths and numerous injuries involving ATVs.’

HSE inspector Matthew Tinsley, who investigated and prosecuted for HSE, said:

‘This is a reminder to all farmers and farm workers that it just isn’t worth taking unnecessary risk. Training is vital, as is head protection. This is simple, common sense advice that, if followed, can save lives.’

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