labor lawAdivision of labor law center

There’s a new and disturbing trend in the workplace.

ATVs, or All-Terrain Vehicles, are increasingly a part of fatalities or accidents on the job.

A Colorado Worker Safety Alert shows that the All-Terrain Vehicle, usually associated with sport and weekend recreation, is growing in use in the workplace. With that has come greater numbers of accidents.

What causes these problems?  The ATV is actually tricky to drive, thanks to its combination of handlebars, motorization, and fat, low-pressure tires. It does not handle like a car, or even like a bicycle. It will flip in sharp turns or when going up steep hills or other inclines. And it may easily be overloaded, because it is not designed for heavy loads. Such loads increase their instability. The ATV is designed for use by a driver and no passengers. It is provided with a small front or rear storage rack that carries small amounts of equipment.

Follow the manufacturer’s operation guide to weight limits and allowable passengers when you drive an ATV. Wear a helmet. Train to operate the device. Even if you’re licensed to drive a car or truck, you may find operating the ATV tricky.

Keep in mind that the Colorado Worker Safety Alert has a set of guidelines for these vehicles. They apply to any motorized off-road machine using handlebars, a straddled seat, and low-pressure tires.

Since 1992, according to OSHA, the death rate by ATV in the workplace has gone up regularly. There were 113 such deaths in 9 years. During those same 9 years there were 1,625 ATV workplace injuries altogether.  Some workers were injured severely enough to require that they miss a day or more of work.

Deaths during recreational use still exceed those of workplace deaths. From 1982 to 2004, the death rate increased from 29 to 470 yearly. Injuries totaled 136,100. The number of accidents in the workplace may exceed those for recreational use.

The ATV is being used with increasing frequency in construction, facilities management, police work, and farming.

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