News

Be quad safe this Christmas

Beef Central, 13/12/2016

VICTORIA’S peak farmer organisation is encouraging primary producers to remain focused on farm safety this Christmas holiday season by investing in protection devices to limit the risk of quad bike injuries on farms.

The Victorian Farmers Federation is offering rebates of up to $600 (GST exempt) on two eligible protection devices – the Quadbar ™ and the ATV Lifeguard – as well as a $1200 (GST exempt) rebate on alternate vehicles in a $6 million State Government initiative to curb farm accidents.

Statistics released by WorkSafe Victoria reveal most workplace accidents occur in the lead-up to Christmas, with 25 per cent of all incidents occurring in November and December.

Even more worryingly, WorkSafe also records that almost 30 per cent of all workplace deaths in the State occur on farms despite the fact agriculture employs just three per cent of Victorian workers.

“Christmas is a busy time for farmers harvesting, but it can also be a deadly time of year if the work is put ahead of safety,” VFF Vice President Brett Hosking said.

“Quad bikes are an essential piece of equipment on our farms because they are so versatile, but with that versatility comes the increased risk of accidents, and  we should all be doing what we can to make them safer or replace them with another vehicle.”.”

“It’s vital that you protect yourself, your family and your employees from the risks of using quad bikes.

“So give your family peace of mind this Christmas and invest in quad bike protection.”

The Quad Bike Safety Rebate Scheme is expected to deliver rebates to more than 5000 farmers over the next two years, and farmers are encouraged to make early applications so they don’t miss out.

Source: VFF. Details on rebate criteria can be found at www.bequadsafe.com.au or by calling 1300 945 030

HAVE YOUR SAY

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Your comment will not appear until it has been moderated.
Contributions that contravene our Comments Policy will not be published.

Comments

Get Beef Central's news headlines emailed to you -
FREE!