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With the statistics rising for the industrial use of All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), many employers may be asking themselves how they can ensure that their employees stay safe while operating these vehicles.

A California Worker Safety Alert highlights the number of ATVs being used in industry. A recently issued bulletin on the subject, discusses operating guidelines and training that employers should follow to ensure that their employees are protected from ATV accidents.

Over the last ten years, over 800,000 ATV related injuries have been reported. From 1982 there were 29 fatalities. This rose to 470 in 2004. Total injuries reached a high of 136,100 for a single year in 2004.

These statistics are for recreational use, but with industries such as construction, agriculture, law enforcement and facilities management increasingly using ATVs in the workplace, it is important that employers address the issue of safety for their workers who operate the vehicles.

There are guidelines for employers who need to know how to keep their workers safe from ATV accidents.

• Ensure that workers wear safety helmets when operating ATVs.
• Do not use ATVs to transport heavy loads from one place to another. Even though some have storage racks on the front or rear, heavy loads may cause the vehicle to become unstable.
• Do not modify the vehicle in any way. Some ATVs have been modified to accommodate extra machinery. Again, this can cause the vehicle to become unstable.
• Follow a comprehensive training program for everyone who is involved in the operating of ATVs.
• Always make sure that ATVs are being operated according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Many people see ATVs being used as recreational vehicles and assume that they are safe. They have even been used by children in outdoor activities. But employers need to be aware that these vehicles handle very differently from the average car or motor bike, and must not assume that an employee automatically knows how to operate an ATV.

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