Social media campaign asks farmers to push ATV helmet importance

Jill Hewitt, NAAC chief executive, said farmers and farm workers should "take pride" in wearing a helmet to protect their safety
Jill Hewitt, NAAC chief executive, said farmers and farm workers should "take pride" in wearing a helmet to protect their safety

A social media campaign looking to improve ATV safety has launched, with farmers and contractors invited to share photos of themselves wearing a helmet.

The National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC) is behind the campaign, which has a particular focus on the importance of wearing a helmet.

In the last five years, ATVs were involved in 14 deaths in agriculture - the most significant cause of deaths involving moving vehicles in the industry.

NAAC said: "That’s fourteen families destroyed. Many, other serious and life-changing incidents are happening all the time. Yet there is still resistance to wearing a helmet."

The body wants to raise the question why anyone would choose to ride, or deliberately send a worker or family member out on a job with a sit-astride ATV, with no helmet.

It added: "The aim is to make all operators ask why anyone would put themselves, or their workers, at risk by not wearing a helmet on a sit-astride ATV."

It is a legal requirement for farmers and farm workers to wear a helmet when using a quad bike.

HSE has confirmed if there is an incident and someone was not wearing a helmet, this will be a key part of the investigation and could result in enforcement, including prosecution.

Enforcement action will also be taken if an inspector sees someone working without a helmet on farm.?

Wearing a helmet applies to the farmer, self-employed workers, employees and any other person using the farm quad. This includes children or farm visitors.

Jill Hewitt, NAAC chief executive said ATV users should "take pride" in wearing a helmet to protect their safety.

"None of us are infallible and the NAAC wants the industry to get behind us by sharing photos of themselves wearing a helmet under #wearitandshareit."