ACC has announced it will subsidise the installation of crush protection devices (CPD) on quad bikes.
Worksafe has recently changed its position on the use of roll cages on quad bikes, saying they strongly recommend they be used.
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It followed a call by a Wellington coroner for safety features to be made mandatory on the bikes, which are common on New Zealand farms.
She also recommended that a working party review work undertaken by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) on the issue of quad bike safety.
Under Worksafe's new policy it said it believes crush protection devices (CPDs) are likely to prevent serious and fatal crush injuries and it strongly recommended they are installed on all quad bikes used for work.
In an announcement at the Fieldays at Mystery Creek, near Hamilton, ACC said the
CPD subsidy would help rural workplaces reduce serious injuries and fatalities on quad bikes.
"Every year quad bikes are a major cause of death and serious injury in rural workplaces with many incidents associated with accidental rollovers," it said in a statement.
"On average each year five people die, and we receive over 1,000 claims for work-related quad bikes accidents, costing $12 million."
Under the scheme, any purchase of the two WorkSafe recommended CPDs will be eligible for the subsidy.
The subsidy is for self-employed and small to medium businesses in targeted sub-sectors at the highest injury rate, which includes beef, sheep and dairy farming.
"The subsidy offer is $180 per CPD with a maximum of two CPD purchases per business (including self-employed). This is approximately 15-30% cost discount, depending on what product is chosen."
The subsidy will be available for 12 months, but would be reviewed after six months.
Based on 2018 data, there are an estimated 38,000 businesses (including self-employed) in these targeted sub-sectors, and it's estimated this group accounts for 70 percent of the quad bike related claim costs.
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