Quads & Motorbikes

Quad bikes are a leading cause of fatal injury on Australian farms, and most incidents happen during everyday farm work, including on livestock and dairy properties.

National data has recorded around 15 deaths a year across agriculture. The main causes of death and serious injury are tipping and rollover, which can cause crush injuries, asphyxia, and head or neck trauma — the work health and safety risk from quad bike use on farms is high. The business (the employer or person conducting the business) has a legal duty to keep anyone using quad bikes or motorbikes safe. 

Reduce the risk 

• Choose the safest vehicle for the task — where practical, a side-by-side vehicle is often safer than a quad bike, 
• Use compliant bikes with operator protection — only use bikes that meet the mandatory standard, and fit an operator protection device to work quads,
• Provide and require helmets, 
• Train and supervise riders — match the rider and machine to the task and terrain, don't carry passengers, and don't let children ride adult bikes,
• Maintain bikes and keep to safe speeds for the conditions.

Your legal duty — mandatory Quad Bike Safety Standard 

Since 2019, under the Australian Consumer Law, all new and imported second-hand quad bikes sold in Australia must meet the ACCC mandatory standard. In summary, quads must pass stability testing, carry a rollover warning label with safety advice in the manual, meet international design standards, and have a compliant spark arrester. Since October 2021, all general-use (work) quads must also have an operator protection device and meet minimum stability levels.

Only use bikes that meet the standard. See the ACCC quad bikes mandatory standard, and Safe Work Australia – managing risks in agriculture. 

The Farm Safety Manual – Quads and Motorbikes chapter and its checklist and step-by-step guide support this page.