New quad bike safety standard to reduce risks

The Consumer Goods (Quad Bikes) Safety Standard 2019 has been introduced by the Federal Government as part of Australian consumer law. The standard is to reduce the risk of fatality and injury associated with quad bike use by improving information for consumers and the design of quad bikes.

The national safety standard includes requirements for all quad bikes from 11 October 2020 and additional requirements for general use quad bikes from 11 October 2021. It does not apply to second-hand quad bikes other than those imported into Australia.

Phase one of the safety standard will commence on 11 October this year and requires that all new and imported second-hand quad bikes must:

• meet the requirements specified in the United States or European standard for quad bikes
• have a durable label that is clear and visible warning of the risk of rollover
  
• have information on rollover risk in the owner’s manual or instruction handbook
• be tested for lateral static stability and display the result on a hang tag.
  

Phase two of the safety standard begins on 11 October 2021 and will require all new and imported second-hand general use quad bikes to:

• have an operator protection device integrated into their design, or fitted to them
• meet minimum requirements for stability.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland does not administer this legislation.Queensland work health and safety laws do however require that duty holders manage risks associated with a quad bike overturning, things falling on the operator, the operator being ejected from the quad bike, and the quad bike colliding with any person or thing (see sections 203, 214 and 215 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011).

Further information

For further information on the Federal Government quad bike safety standard, visit https://www.productsafety.gov.au/standards/quad-bikes.