Quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles safety – Proposed work health and safety regulations

The Office of Industrial Relations (OIR) is investigating the introduction of work health and safety (WHS) regulations to improve the safety of workers and others when operating quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles (SSV) at a workplace.

This includes mandating:

• helmet use
• no kids on adult quad bikes and SSVs
• certain passenger restrictions for some vehicles
• seat belts for some SSVs (where they have been installed).

NOTE: The private use of quad bikes and SSVs outside of a workplace is not captured within the scope of this proposal.

Quad bikes and SSVs are popular vehicles due to their adaptability, ease of operation and low running costs and are often used by farmers, producers, local and state governments, search and rescue teams, and adventure tourism.

However, their use is associated with a high number of injuries and fatalities. This was highlighted in the 2015 Coronial inquest, which examined nine deaths caused by quad bike accidents in Queensland between 2012–14 and recommended introducing regulations to improve quad bike and SSV safety.

This Quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles safety—Proposed work health and safety regulation—Discussion paper seeks feedback on the proposed scope of the regulations and the practical impacts for individuals, businesses, and the broader community.

Feedback will inform the development of proposed regulations for quad bike and SSV safety under the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (WHS Regulation).

As a longer-term objective the Discussion paper also invites feedback on the introduction of training requirements for the safe and competent operation of quad bikes in the workplace.

Have your say

You are invited to read the Quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles safety— Proposed Work Health and Safety regulations—Discussion paper.

Written submissions are sought from all interested parties on the specific questions and key issues identified in the Discussion paper.

Consultation closes Wednesday, 31 August 2022.

Written submissions

Email your submission to: whspolicy [at] oir.qld.gov.au