QUAD BIKE SAFETY TRAINING NOW FREE FOR LOCAL FARMERS
Member for Hawkesbury Dominic Perrottet said that eligible farmers and their workers who complete an approved training course will also receive a free helmet – worth around $120 – suitable for use while they are riding their quad bikes and that these changes announced represent a further saving to farmers of up to $230.
SafeWork NSW has partnered with Tocal College to deliver up to 100 training events in regional and remote areas across NSW. From 8 May, free training will also be available through authorised Registered Training Organisations. Eligible farmers and their workers who complete this training also receive a helmet compliant to NZS 8600:2002.
Previously, farmers attending an approved training course (costing up to $510) received a rebate of $310.
Mr Perrottet said more than 200 farmers had attended Tocal College training days since the quad bike safety program was launched last year.
“I want as many farmers in Hawkesbury to undertake this training so they can be as safe as possible at work on their properties,” Mr Perrottet said.
“We know time is money to farmers and it’s not easy for them to give up a day’s work to undergo quad bike training.
“While we can’t put more hours in the day, we can make the training free, and encourage farmers to use helmets, as the next step in our campaign to increase farm safety,” Mr Perrottet said.
In March, the Government doubled the rebates to $1000 for the purchase of a side-by-side vehicle, $500 for the retrofitting of operator protective device to an existing quad bike and $90 for the purchase of an approved helmet.
Farmers can apply for two rebates, up to the value of $2000, recognising that farmers often have more than one quad bike.
See SafeWork.nsw.gov.au for more information.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
