In my last blog, I sang the praises of the Tractor Driving Course for 13-15 year olds and expressed my hope for a course that would teach young people to use ATVs safely. As most people reading this will know, there isn’t one.

Part of the reason for this is that the HSE say that children should not be in the farm workplace. I can understand their reasoning, and am sure we are all horrified every time we hear of an accident on a farm or field site. However, is HSE’s view realistic?

Existing regulations (Management of Health and Safety at Work) require assessment and management of risks in the workplace, and specifically that young people are not exposed to risk due to lack of experience, being unaware of existing or potential risks and/or lack of maturity. HSE’s view is that riding an ATV on a farm is inherently risky and therefore not permitted. As a result, HSE has discouraged the provision of training for 13–16-year-old, even on age-appropriate machines.

However, the law allows those aged 13 and over to operate an ATV as long is it is appropriate to their age and size. And, confusingly, HSE does provide the following guidance for children and young people operating ATVs for work…

• Allow children over 13 to ride only ATVs of an appropriate size and power, after formal training on a low-power ATV.
• Check and adhere to the manufacturer’s minimum age recommendations for your ATV – many have a minimum age of 16 years.
• Check that the ratio of a child’s weight to that of the ATV is appropriate, as weight transfer is the key to safe handling.
• Always refer to the owner’s manual and warning labels on the machine.
• Never carry child passengers. It is illegal.
• Sit-astride ATVs are not designed to carry passengers of any age and this will reduce your ability to control the ATV.

It is presumed that a risk assessment will indicate the requirement to wear a suitable helmet when operating an ATV at work. The broader duties and responsibilities for the safe operation of ATVs are covered in HSE information sheet AIS33. https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais33.htm

Many children killed and injured on ATVs have been riding adult-sized machines, but this is illegal. However, it is clear that increasing numbers of children are legally using ATVs on farms and age-appropriate training seems like it could help to address the current high rate of accidents.

In Ireland, it will soon become mandatory that anyone operating a quad bike/ATV within a workspace (not just the owner) must undergo training and hold a valid ATV training Certificate, provided by a registered training provider. Helmets are already mandatory in Ireland while riding a quad bike, whilst the HSE in the UK only recommends that it should be done.

I know, I work for an awarding body, and so when I say that I hope ATV training becomes mandatory, you might not be surprised. But my role in that awarding body also makes me want our sector to be recognised as a great destination and career path for young people and career changers, which is a challenging message when such accident rates are reported.

It is also clear that legislation needs to be reviewed around PPE. A study in the RoI found that 78% of those injured in ATV incidents were wearing helmets at the time (compared to 16% in the UK). As a result, only 2 patients (6%) suffered from head injury.

I hope that HSE look again at the regulations around teaching young people how to use ATVs safely and effectively, and when they do Lantra will be ready and (very willing) to help.