Canadian Occupational Safety

16 www.cos-mag.com Canadian Occupational Safety ndrea Crittenden is trou- bled by the many fatalities and serious injuries that occur on all-terrain vehi- cles (ATVs) every year. She is frustrated by riders not wearing hel- mets, ignoring safety procedures and driving beyond their abilities. After one of her young family members suf- fered a traumatic fatal incident while riding an ATV, Crittenden decided to take matters into her own hands. "When it hits that close to home, it really makes an impact," says Crit- tenden, president and CEO of Sixteen Safety Services in Saskatoon, a pro- vider of ATV training. "It gives me even more drive to spread that safety mes- sage because you can get yourself into a whole lot of hot water very quickly when it comes to ATVs." A CBC News investigation counted 178 deaths on AT Vs and snow- mobiles from 2012-18 in Atlantic Canada. In Alberta, 185 people died in quad-related incidents between 2002 and 2013. According to the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute, ATV-related inju- ries are currently the second leading cause of summer sport and recre- ation injuries in Canada. More than 3,000 people were hospitalized with ATV-related injuries across the coun- try from 2009 to 2010, not including emergency room visits and fatal inju- ries. Head injuries occur in one-quarter of all ATV-related hospitalizations, with the average length of hospital stay being more than five days. "Most of it is not really using common sense," says Jim McGregor, chief instructor at the New Bruns- wick All Terrain Vehicle Federation in Hanwell, N.B., just south of Fred- ericton. "People will see the machine as a toy… but they're not. It is a piece of equipment." The majority of incidents are caused by unsafe practices that result in loss of control, rollover or col- lision, he says. This can be caused by users being impaired, showboat- ing, driving beyond their abilities, not realizing the capabilities of the machine or being inexperienced, says Crittenden, who worked as a safety manager for many years before open- ing her own business. While the majority of incidents on AT Vs occur when they are being used for recreational purposes, workplace AT V incidents occur as well. Due to their ability to reach areas that road vehicles simply cannot, many indus- tries use AT Vs, including oil and gas, agriculture, municipalities, utilities, law enforcement, mining, environ- mental monitoring, construction, search and rescue, forestry, military and border security. Employers have to be extra vigilant around ATV safety in order to be in compliance with safety laws. "It goes down right to the basics of supplying a safe and healthy work- place, so they need to provide them with the training to do their job safely. And with ATV operation it's no differ- ent," Crittenden says. To reduce the risks, comprehensive training is key and all workers who will be operating an ATV should hold a valid training certificate or credential. Workers need to respect the machine, the laws and the environment they are operating in, says McGregor. Training a worker to operate an ATV should really follow the same proto- cols as a worker being trained on any other piece of powered mobile equip- ment, whether that's a forklift, a crane or a loader, says Jeff Shaw, prevention consultant with Safe Work Manitoba in Brandon, Man. "Personally, I think there is a misconception out there that not as much training is required on an AT V because I think a lot of people often ride them for recreational proposes and there's that assumption that they already know how to operate them," he says. "That mindset has resulted in incidents that could have been easily prevented." There are a variety of training courses available that offer a mix of in-class teaching with practical, hands-on training. Crittenden's course begins with an important message about safety preparedness. "Expect the unexpected. You never know what could happen, especially in Saskatchewan (where) it has snowed in every month of the year," she says. "You're riding along the trail and all of a sudden the weather changes and so do the hazards." All training courses should cover the pre-use inspection, known in the industry as TCLOC, which stands for tires, wheels and brakes; controls, lights and electrical; oil and fluids; and chassis and suspension. (See sidebar for more.) "If you check all that and everything is working, there's a good chance you are going to come home from any job you left to go do," says McGregor, adding any problems, no matter how small, must be fixed before the worker heads out for the job. With tires, for example, the pres- sure needs to be checked to ensure it's the same in all four — even one pound will make a difference. AT Vs have big balloon tires designed for rough terrain, which adds to their instability. If the tire pressure is not equal, the machine will pull towards the soft tire. A small-scale gauge may be needed for AT V tires. Fleet managers need to make sure their maintenance program takes into account the specific needs of their own AT Vs and follow the inspection requirements outlined in the owner's Comprehensive ATV training should cover safe driving techniques, emergency preparedness and respecting the machine By Amanda Silliker Pre-ride ride ride Joy Joy

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