WorkSafe Safety Push Reveals Major Farm Safety Gaps Across New Zealand
A safety push across New Zealand has revealed significant gaps in hazardous substances management, farm vehicles, tractors, quad bikes and side-by-sides.
The initiative forms part of Safer Farms’ Safer Rides programme, which aims to reduce quad bike-related injuries and fatalities across New Zealand farms.
Hawke’s Bay farmer Chloe Butcher-Herries and Wairarapa sheep and beef farmer Roger Barton have fitted CPDs onto their quad bikes.
Farmers Share Real-World Experience with CPDs
Butcher-Herries, who manages a Hawke’s Bay farm and won the 2022 Ahuwhenua Young Māori Award (sheep and beef), has documented the installation process on social media.
“With more deaths and serious injuries on four-wheelers caused by the bike rolling on top of the rider, I thought it’s time we looked at CPDs and gave them a go,” she says.
Initially concerned the device would reduce space on the bike, Butcher-Herries says she quickly realised it wasn't an issue.
“I’m surprised how much room there still is for the dogs and they actually lean on the bars. There’s plenty of space.”
She says she’s proud to be better protecting her team and is encouraging other farmers to consider a CPD.
“I’m happy to say we’re protecting our staff with a CPD. If any farmer is on fence, I encourage them to check out the Farm Without Harm website and the discounts available through Safer Rides.”
Quad Bike Accidents Remain a Serious Risk
Wairarapa sheep and beef farmer Roger Barton has also fitted a CPD to his quad bike.
“If you talk to quad bike users, nearly everyone’s had a whoopsie somewhere,” he says. “It’s always about managing the unexpected. The expected you can deal with, the unexpected you can’t.”
Barton says he has suffered a number of injuries in his farming career, including one that cost him 59 days before he could do ordinary tasks again.
“I’m not some paragon of virtue – many of my accidents were the result of impulsive decisions. Prior preparation prevents poor performance.
“Being a Regional Champion is about sharing stories like fitting CPDs farmer to farmer. I don’t have all the answers but I want to help reframe safety and have conversations about practical solutions and Safer Rides offers one of those practical solutions.”
Near-Miss Highlights Dangers of Slippery Terrain
Meanwhile, Safer Farms Regional Champion George Dodson has also shared a recent near-miss while using a quad bike.
Dodson, the 2024 FMG Young Farmer of the Year, manages a dairy farm in Hororata, Canterbury.
He described how his quad bike slid sideways down a dewy hillside on a relatively steep slope.
“I learnt a valuable lesson about the need to remain cautious about driving down a slippery hill. If you’re trying to slow down and your wheels lock up, you’re gone.
“I started sliding sideways and luckily it was wet all the way to the bottom. But if I’d caught a dry patch or hit a big bump, it would have been pretty easy to roll.”
Safer Rides Programme Offers Discounts on Safety Technology
The trio are Farm Without Harm’s first Regional Champions and will keep sharing practical safety tips and lessons learned with other farmers. They will also attend local events and speak to community groups.
On average, a quad bike or side-by-side accident takes a rider out of productive work for 82 days, impacting the person injured, their family and the farm business. Since 2019, 23 farmers or workers have lost their lives in preventable incidents - around 70 per cent of which could have been avoided.
Safer Farms is offering discounts to help more farmers install the lifesaving technology. During the pilot, more than 130 farm businesses installed CPDs.
Farmers taking part in Safer Rides can access a 20% discount code for CPDs from Trax Equipment or QuadBar (saving up to $395 on selected models). There’s also 15% off SafeTrax GPS Rollover Alert System hardware and 5% off software, plus free installation (valued at $150).
For more information and to access the discounts, please visit the Farm Without Harm website.
