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●
Lap straps should not be fitted. They prevent
active riding and would be potentially lethal
without a full cab or roll cage.
●
Weather cabs restrict a
rider’s ability to jump clear
in an overturn. The rider is likely to be crushed
within the cab unless it is strong enough to
withstand the forces involved. Carefully assess the
risks for your particular conditions of use before
fitting any such structure and consult the
manufacturer for information.
Road use
For road use, ATVs and trailers have to comply with the
Road Vehicles Construction and Use Regulations 1986
(as amended) and the Road Vehicles Lighting
Regulations 1989 (both enforced by the police) and be
licensed in the appropriate class. They do not require
an MOT and the maximum permitted speed is 20 mph.
The minimum age for drivers is 17 and they need a
Category B licence.
Sit-in ATVs
Sit-in ATVs include the Mule, Rhino, Argocat, Scot-
Track, Gator, Ranger, Hiler, Goblin and other similar
machines. They all have conventional sit-in seats and
the driver does not use weight transfer to steer or
control stability, although load balance is important in
this respect. They range from machines designed for
purely rough terrain to utility vehicles, which are also
commonly used fully off-road.
Training
The legal requirements for training are the same as for
the sit-astride ATVs. You should request advice on
training from your suppliers, the training providers
previously mentioned or, for forestry operations, from
the Forestry Commission.
Rollover protection and seat belts
The requirements for these machines are quite different
to those of sit-astride ATVs.
●
Where there is a risk of the machine rolling over,
PUWER requires an employer to fit some device
to protect employees (the self-employed have the
same duty to themselves). This would normally be
a cab, rollover frame or roll bar. Such a structure
could either be provided as part of the original
machine or, if added afterwards, should be CE
marked and approved by a recognized test body.
●
Restraining devices such as seat belts should be
fitted and worn by the driver and passengers
where a roll bar or cab is fitted.
●
Where a machine is amphibious and used on
deep water as opposed to marshland, then the
seat restraints (and possibly roll frame) could
increase the overall risk rather than reduce it. In
this case, do not use seat restraints while on the
water. Assess the risk from the roll frame
according to its design and the likelihood of
trapping the occupants if the machine should sink.
●
If there is a risk of overturning, employees at work
who are carried in the rear of sit-in ATVs should
be protected by rollover protection and seat
restraints.
●
Children should only be carried in these vehicles if
they are in a passenger seat and wearing a
properly designed and fitted seatbelt.
Parking
If you have to park on a slope, always park across it
unless it is too steep. Accidents have occurred where
machines have run down slopes because of poor brake
maintenance or application, particularly while they are
being loaded, and movement or the increase in weight
sets the machine into motion.
Further information
HSE priced and free publications are available by mail
order from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk
CO10 2WA Tel: 01787 881165 Fax: 01787 313995
Website: www.hsebooks.co.uk (HSE priced publications
are also available from bookshops and free leaflets can
be downloaded from
HSEʼs website: www.hse.gov.uk.)
For information about health and safety ring HSEʼs
Infoline Tel: 0845 345 0055 Fax: 0845 408 9566
Text phone: 0845 408 9577 e-mail:
[email protected] or write to HSE Information
Services, Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG.
©
Crown copyright
This publication may be freely
reproduced, except for advertising, endorsement or
commercial purposes. First published 05/99. Please
acknowledge the source as HSE.
T
his leaflet contains notes on good practice which are not
compulsory but which you may find helpful in considering
what you need to do.
