Polaris has unveiled a TV campaign highlighting ROPS protection on 23 of their machines in response to a WorkSafe announcement saying crush protection devices (CPDs) will become mandatory in Victorian workplaces.
The decision from WorkSafe Victoria means that if an employer wants to use a quad/ATV in the workplace – and there is a risk of rollover – WorkSafe will require a suitably designed and tested crush protection device be fitted to the plant.
This mandate only affects Victoria.
Peter Alexander, Managing Director of Polaris Australia and New Zealand said, “the purpose of our TV advertising campaign is simply to show consumers that they already have a choice, as Polaris already offers engineered and certified alternatives for rollover protection.”
“A model such as the Polaris ACE offers many of the benefits of an ATV with inherent safety technology included.”
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) Chief Executive Tony Weber contests the CPD mandate, saying it is at odds with the most reliable science on the matter.
CPDs may in fact cause as many new injuries as they prevent.
“It also flies in the face of the conclusions of the deputy state coroners who recently conducted Coronial Inquests in NSW and QLD,” Mr Weber said.
“Both coroners found that there is insufficient evidence to make any such recommendation, and recommended instead that the proponents of (CPDs) should focus on establishing the safety and benefits of the devices first and foremost.
“If WorkSafe Victoria has new scientific evidence to support their position on (CPDs) it should disclose that evidence immediately, and put it in the public domain for all ATV users.”
Polaris has stated its views are certainly in line with the FCAI’s position in not supporting the fitment of aftermarket crush protection devices, ”Polaris already offers engineered and globally certified rollover protection in the form of its 23 models with Rollover Protection Structures (ROPS),” Mr Alexander said.
“We remain mindful that there is substantial and credible research stacked against the use of crush protection devices and we will be interested to review the market control mechanisms WorkSafe may envisage as aftermarket companies lay claim to safety contraptions and net safety benefits.”
“We encourage customers to consider the inherent benefits of many technologies found in Polaris products, including ROPS, Speed Key, Descent Control, Seat Belt Interlockers, seat belts, side nets and other features that farmers may want to consider when they are balancing utility, safety and purpose.”
Rollover protection for quad bikes could help save lives and children – quad bikes are the leading cause of farm deaths because tractor deaths have fallen since rollover protection was introduced. The choice is between trusting common sense and Aussie experts or large profit-seeking firms relying on debunked computer simulations.
Quad deaths are the leading cause of farm deaths
(http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-13/quad-bikes-top-list-again-for-australian-farm-deaths/7086368; ).
Children are dying – in 19% of fatalities from 2001-2012 ‘children under the age of 16 were involved’
http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/swa/whs-information/agriculture/quad-watch/pages/quad-bike-summaries#2011
Australian Universities have found that rollover protection systems can replace serious injury and fatality with ‘low injury levels’
(http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/esv/esv23/23ESV-000213.PDF, p. 3).
The ATV industry (producers) rely upon heavily-criticized research by American John Zellner
(http://theconversation.com/its-time-for-quad-bike-manufacturers-to-rollover-on-safety-3421).
Unlike quad bikes, tractor rollover deaths have been decreasing since 1993. Monash University researchers state that it ‘is likely to be due to increased use of rollover
protection’
(http://www.monash.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/218486/haz33.pdf, p. 4)
Please consider this issue. You could have a lasting impact on the lives of Australian farmers.
You are right – it could. But there are many other factors that have influenced quad deaths outlined by The QLD Coroner John Lock, who said in the Inquest into nine (9) deaths caused by
Quad Bike accidents from the Queensland Coroners Court
http://www.courts.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/432306/cif-quadbikeaccidents-20150803.pdf – and CPDs
that the research from all sources has sufficient inherent
difficulties and statistical inconsistencies for them to be able to reach a
conclusion about the efficacy of CPDs in particular.
This was recently published in August, 2015 and is in our opinion currently the most reliable and fairly balanced publication that comments on the matter.
Appologies – the NSW Coroners Report was published after Queensland – Freund echoes Lock’s statements:
In my view, what is lacking from the studies to date is any “real world” study of the
incidence of injury and/or fatalities and/or prevented injuries/fatalities resulting from
the use of CPDs. There is at present no evidence that any deaths have occurred as
a result of the fitting of a CPD. However, in the absence of a study as to fatalities or
injuries caused by CPDs, it is not possible to draw any absolute conclusions about
the efficacy of CPDs.
http://www.coroners.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/Quadbikesfinalredacted.pdf