Quad Bike Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

Quad Bike Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)Greater Wellington Regional Council’s SOP for the use of quad bikesSafe Operating Procedure ownerPositionadministeringOperating ProcedurethisGeneral Manager, People and CapabilitySafeSenior Health and Safety AdviserDate Safe Operating Procedure comesinto effectThe first working day following the date of approval bythe General Manager, People & CapabilityRelated policies and legislationGreater Wellington Regional Council Health and Safety Policy Keeping Employees(KESAW)SafeatWork Hazard Management Policy Incident Management PolicyHealth and Safety in Employment Act 1992SOP review dateDecember 2017SOP historyCreated as a GWRC SOP - October 2013.Reviewed: June 2015Approved:General Manager, People and CapabilityDate: October 2013FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONMIKE WARDSenior Health andSafety AdviserUncontrolleddocument onceprintedPrinted:07/11/2013October 2013Powerdocs#:1283728.v1

Quad Bike Health and Safety Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)Document ApprovalIssue of original document:Next revision due:DatePowerdocs#1283728.v1Approved By31 October 2013June 2015Issue of revision:Pages replaced:Issue of revision:Pages replaced:Issue of revision:Pages replaced:Issue of revision:New page additions:Issue of revision:Pages replaced:Issue of revision:Pages replaced:Issue of revision:Pages replaced:Uncontrolled document once printedPrinted: 18/02/2016Page 2 of 29

Quad Health and Safety Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)1.Powerdocs#1283728.v1Quad Bike Health and Safety EssentialsBefore operating a quad bike – the following health and safety essentials must be compliedwith:1.The quad bike has been determined to be ‘fit for purpose’ for the tasks andenvironment that it is planned to be used for.2.The operator must be trained and deemed competent for the task/s andenvironment that it is planned to be used in.3.All GWRC quad bikes must be fitted with a recognised Crush Protection Device(CPD)4.All GWRC quad bikes must be registered with NZTA as a VIN exempt motorvehicle.5.Boots and an approved quad helmet or motorcycle helmet must be worn by theoperator at all times.6.Other PPE (gloves and eye protection) should be available and used whennecessary.7.Passengers can only be carried in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications.Any passengers must wear an approved helmet at all times.8.Quads must not be operated at speeds over 30 km/h. This speed limit applies toany necessary short transits on a public road.9.The operator must take time to ensure that they are familiar with any knownhazards on the location they are intending to operate the quad bike. This can alsobe confirmed with the land owner or the person in control of the location.10.The operator must know their skill level and not attempt any quad bike operationthat is beyond their competency and confidence level.11.The operator must check tyre pressure, front and rear brakes, steering, fuel and oillevels before operating the quad bike.12.The total load must not exceed the manufacturer’s specifications – including frontand rear carrier weight limits, with all loads balanced and properly secured.13.Liquid loads must be carried as full containers or specifically designed tanks withbaffles or similar features.14.No towing on quad bikes apart from approved quad specific implements (e.g.Park’s quad mower, small quad bike trailer) in compliance with manufacturers’specifications for the quad and implement.15.For any after-market modification or feature on quad bikes, the following must besatisfied –a. Has the need for the modification or feature been specified for the tasks thatthe quad is to be used forUncontrolled document once printedPrinted: 18/02/2016Page 3 of 29

Quad Bike Health and Safety Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)Powerdocs#1283728.v1b. Where possible, the modification or feature should be manufacturer approvedc. Has the modification or feature been purchased from a recognised dealerd. Has the modification or feature been tested to recognised standards byqualified engineers16.The planning of work activities must take into account the requirement that theoperator needs sufficient hydration and energy to actively ride a quad bike to andfrom the work location.17.PLB’s are to be carried by all riders and remote/lone working procedures must becomplied with.The requirements, apart from the fitting of a CPD, set out in this section are applicable to anycontractors who operate quad bikes. The staff member responsible for managing thecontractor must ensure that the contractor complies with these requirements.Some of the potential significant hazards an operator can face and need to remain vigilant forwhile operating a quad bike include: Unfamiliar and/or changeable location,environment and conditions Slippery wet grass and/or surfaceconditions Steep and/or slippery slopes and tracks Deep and/or flowing water Uneven surfaces Unstable, overweight and/or insecureloads Drains and pot holes Loading and unloading quads fromtrailers or utes Hidden obstacles (Farm, harrows, PVCpipes, cut over scrub, holes, hollow andold fence batons) Operator dehydration and fatigue Electric fence and low strung wiresNOTE: Hazards can change as work isoccurring. All quad bike operators need tomaintain a high level vigilance at all times.Uncontrolled document once printedPrinted: 18/02/2016Page 4 of 29

Quad Health and Safety Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)Powerdocs#1283728.v1Contents1.2.3.4.5.Quad Bike Health and Safety Essentials .3Purpose .6Introduction .6General quad bike hazards .7Selecting a quad bike – ‘fit for purpose.’.85.1Purchasing a new quad bike .85.2Registering a quad bike for use on public roads .96.Personal Protective Equipment .106.1Helmets .106.2Crush Protection Devices (CPD) .127.Training and competency .127.1Recruitment and selection .127.2Tier 1 – External quad bike training.137.3Tier 2: Internal competency assessment and task specific training .137.4GWRC approved quad bike trainers and assessors .148.Quad bike maintenance.158.1Daily maintenance checks .158.2General maintenance .158.3Scheduled mechanical servicing checks.168.4Breakdowns and/or damage .169.Summary of requirements for quad bikes .169.1Quad bike riding technique .169.2General precautions .179.3Hills and slopes .179.4Braking .189.5Riding through water .189.6Loading .199.7Trailers .209.8Passengers .2010.Loading and transportation of quad bikes .2111.References: .23Appendix 1: Quad bike rider competency assessment sheet.24Appendix 2: Quad bike operator competency checklist - loading and unloading.26Appendix 3: Quad bike pre-start and general maintenance checklist .27Appendix 4: Quad bike scheduled mechanical service check.28Uncontrolled document once printedPrinted: 18/02/2016Page 5 of 29

Quad Bike Health and Safety Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)2.Powerdocs#1283728.v1PurposeThis Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) brings together existing quad bikeSOP’s from various parts of Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) toprovide an agreed approach to the healthy and safe use of quad bikes at GWRC.This SOP covers the operation of traditional single seat and two seater quadbikes. The principles in the SOP relate to other staff interaction with quadbikes either as potential passengers on third party quad bikes or their useby contractors, but are not explicitly covered in this SOP.At GWRC quad bikes use is limited to: Off road transportation Short on-road transits Carrying small loads of agrichemicals, supplies and equipment Towing of dedicated quad mowers and small quad bike trailerThese procedures have been prepared to:3. Ensure the health and safety of staff and other third parties associatedwith GWRC work, while operating quad bikes on formed tracks andunformed terrain, primarily off the public roads Assist with the identification of hazards associated with quad bikeoperation and the effective management of their risks.IntroductionQuad bike use has evolved to become a vital tool for our operational needs, butrequire a high level of competency and skill to be operated correctly and safelyin the environments that they are operated in at GWRC.Quad bikes have proven to be very adaptive as a piece of work equipment,particularly in New Zealand, for a vehicle that was originally designed as arecreational vehicle.A quad bike is probably the most routinely modified piece of equipment in therural workplace and it has been described as the Swiss army knife of farming.Much of this broadening of the use of quad bikes has evolved because they canbe used for a wide range of activities without actually stopping to reviewwhether they should be/or are the most appropriate piece of equipment to beused.Sadly there has been an average of five people killed in work related quad bikeaccident in New Zealand every year. Many more have been seriously injured,with the most common injuries involving head trauma and/or crushing relatedinjuries.Uncontrolled document once printedPrinted: 18/02/2016Page 6 of 29

Quad Health and Safety Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)Powerdocs#1283728.v1The critical elements for the effective management of quad bike related healthand safety risk at GWRC includes: Fit for purpose for the selection and modification of the quad bike tobest match its intended use. The quad bike is operated within the scope of the manufacturersrecommendations. Fitting all GWRC quads with a recognised Crush Protection Device(CPD) Registering all GWRC quads with NZTA as a “VIN Exempt” vehicleand display a registration plate. Adequate training, supervising and coaching of staff operating thequad bike so that their skills, competence and individual confidence isappropriate for the intended use of the bike. The required personal protective equipment (PPE) is used at all timeswhen operating the quad bike. The quad bike is adequately maintained so that it is safe to operate. The quad bike is loaded, unloaded and transported safely to thelocation(s) where it is intended to be used.These critical elements are described in more detail in following sections.4.General quad bike hazardsIt is recognised that GWRC staff operate quad bikes on a large number ofdifferent properties and locations in a variety of environmental conditions. It iscritical that prior to beginning work in a location that the operator familiarisesthemselves with the hazards that they are likely to come across. This can bedocumented in farm plans, project plans, site specific hazard registers, Parks’hazard plans or by completing a Job Safety Review (JSR) sheet.If the operator is not fully familiar with the hazards in a particular location, theoperator must contact the land owner or the GWRC staff member responsiblefor the location to clarify known any hazards (existing and/or new).Some of the potential significant hazards a staff member can face and need to remain vigilant forwhile operating a quad bike include: Unfamiliar and/or changeablelocation/environment Slippery wet grass and/or surfaceconditions Steep and/or slippery slopes and tracks Deep and/or flowing water Uneven surfaces Unstable, overweight and/or insecureloads Drains and pot holes Loading and unloading quads fromtrailers or utes Hidden obstacles (Farm, harrows, PVC pipes, cut Operator dehydration and fatigueUncontrolled document once printedPrinted: 18/02/2016Page 7 of 29