Individual / Organisation name: South West Training & Assessment

What state/territory are you from? Victoria

Public Discussion Paper:
Review of Design and Engineering Controls for Improving Quad Bike Safety

Public Comment Response Form

Complete and submit this form by5:00pmAEST28 SEPTEMBER 2012to

Response to questions identified in the Discussion Paper
  1. What design solutions and/or engineering controls could improve quad bike stability and safety?

Comment
Design features are at the limit of what can be done to improve stability and safety without making fundamental design changes that would result in a Quad-bike being transformed into a “Side-by-side utility vehicle”
Workplace compliance with regulations and manufacturer’s safe operating guidelines can only be achieved with regulatory enforcement action and quality operator training.
Reliance on a design solution or engineering control is a response to a failed prevention strategy. Spend more time on preventing incidents through raising awareness and improving operator responsibility.
  1. What engineering controls could improve operator protection in the event of a roll over?

Comment
Roll-over bars can only be effective with seat-belts fitted to prevent “mouse-trap” effect. It then hinders the riders ability to control the machine properly
Operators need to be trained in safe practices to prevent roll-over situation from occurring.
In PPRR model of emergency management it is better to prevent an incident than rely on engineering control once it has happened.
  1. What engineering options could minimise the capacity of children to start and/or operate quad bikes?

Comment
Nothing can replace responsible worksite supervision and recognition of a workplace supervisors responsibility to ensure keys are removed from plant so children cannot have access. Keys removed and placed in locked cabinets.
Compliance measures need to be stepped up and properly resourced by regulatory authorities, i.e., Worksafe Inspectors, Workplace support and education programs
  1. What engineering controls could minimise the capacity of a quad bike to carry passengers.

Comment
After seeing what happens in some of our neighboring countries in regard to over-loading and pushing the boundaries of how many people you can fit on one bike (insome cases whole families travelling on one 2-wheeled bike with up to 6 people) the only way would be to completely redesign the quad bike and turn it into a “side-by-side utility vehicle”. Even then people will still try to overload them.
As one of our assessors often says, “Its not the bike that needs to be made safe, it’s the nut behind the wheel.”

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