Safe Work Australia Consultation on Options to Improve Quad Bike Safety in the Workplace
Summary
Safe Work Australia has opened public consultation seeking feedback on regulatory and non-regulatory options to improve quad bike safety in Australian workplaces. The consultation covers four regulatory proposals: requiring operator protective devices (OPDs) on all workplace quad bikes, mandating helmet use, restricting passengers on type 1 quad bikes, and limiting quad bike use to workers aged 16 and over. The consultation is open until 1 June 2026 and welcomes input from all stakeholders with an interest in workplace quad bike safety.
What changed
Safe Work Australia has published a consultation paper seeking public feedback on a range of options to manage quad bike risks in Australian workplaces. The regulatory options under consideration include mandating operator protective devices (OPDs) on all quad bikes used in workplaces, requiring helmets to be worn, restricting passengers on operator-only (type 1) quad bikes, and raising the minimum age for workplace quad bike use to 16 years. Non-regulatory options under consideration include improving data collection processes and conducting targeted safety communication activities.
Agricultural firms and other employers using quad bikes in workplaces should review the consultation paper and consider submitting feedback by 1 June 2026. Stakeholders are particularly encouraged to comment on the practical impacts, costs, benefits, and potential unintended consequences of each regulatory option. While this consultation does not impose immediate obligations, it signals potential future workplace safety requirements that could affect quad bike procurement, training, and operational procedures across affected industries.
Archived snapshot
Apr 20, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
20 Apr 2026
245 people have died in quad bike related incidents in Australia since 2011. The majority of fatalities were the result of a collision or rollover and 43 of those killed were aged 19 or under. As at 9 April, 10 quad bike fatalities have been recorded so far in 2026.
Safe Work Australia is undertaking public consultation to seek feedback on a range of regulatory and non-regulatory options to manage the risks when operating quad bikes in the workplace and ultimately improve quad bike safety.
Regulatory options we are consulting on include:
- requiring operator protective devices (OPDs) to be fitted on all quad bikes when used in the workplace
- mandating helmets are worn on all quad bikes when used in the workplace
- restricting the carrying of passengers on operator-only (type 1) quad bikes when used in the workplace, and
- restricting the use of all quad bikes in the workplace to 16 years of age and over. We are particularly interested in feedback on the practical impacts of these options, including benefits and costs, and whether there may be any unintended consequences.
Non-regulatory options include:
- improving quad bike data collection processes, and
- conducting targeted quad bike safety communication activities. We also welcome stakeholder views on other options that could improve quad bike safety in the workplace.
Any stakeholders, industry representatives, WHS regulators and members of the public with an interest in quad bike safety in the workplace are encouraged to have their say.
Download the consultation paper on Safe Work Australia’s Consultation Hub and share your thoughts by uploading a submission or completing the online questionnaire.
The consultation is open until 11.59 pm (AEST) on Monday 1 June 2026.
Information gathered through the consultation process will be considered by Safe Work Australia Members.
More information about quad bikes is available on Safe Work Australia’s website and the Safe Work Australia interactive quad bike data dashboard.
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