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ATVs are finding their way into the workplace, sometimes with tragic and fatal results.

An Indiana worker safety alert points out that without worker training in driving the ATVs and without other safety measures like following manufacturers’ weight guidelines, more deaths and injuries may occur. The All-Terrain Vehicle is showing up in forestry, police work, construction, and farming.

A recent death points to the tragic results of the increased use. A Indiana worker was operating an ATV fitted with an herbicide sprayer on its rear cargo holder when the vehicle flipped on a steep grade, crushing her, according to the local office of OSHA. The office, which investigated the incident, said the manufacturer had mounted the sprayer that was 55 pounds over the weight recommended by the manufacturer.

The worker was operating the ATV on rough ground, uphill, when the vehicle flipped. An attempt to stabilize the machine by standing up failed to do the job, and she tried unsuccessfully to jump out of the way. She was killed when the All-Terrain Vehicle crushed her.

OSHA said ATVs are not meant to carry much cargo. The overweight herbicide sprayer made the vehicle unstable, shifting its weight distribution. That, combined with traveling uphill on rough ground, caused the accident.

Workers are not being trained to operate ATVs in a safe manner, according to OSHA. Its use as a recreational vehicle – often by children – leads workers to assume they need no training in operating the ATV. But they are prone to rollovers.

In the past ten years, according to OSHA, workplace ATV accidents have taken more than 100 lives. Some of the ways to mitigate the risk are wearing helmets, following the manufacturer weight guidelines, and insuring that employees are trained to operate them.

ATVs have a history and perception as a recreational vehicle. In a 24-year period (1982-2004), fatalities overall climbed from 29 to 470. There were 136,100 injuries during that period. In the past ten years, there have been 800,000 injuries.

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1. Posted by: mike

   Who do you contact if you know someone has violated the child labor laws?

2. Posted by: Amelia

   Hi Mike — you would contact the state or federal Department of Labor, depending upon the law. For a more complete answer, post your question on our sister site at http://www.laborlawtalk.com. Thanks! Amelia