Getting Up to Speed with UTV Safety

Finding the right tool for the job can make things easier on a farm or ranch. Did you also know it can also make things safer? It can– with a catch.

Farmers might be known for ingenious problem-solving a la MacGyver, and plenty of farmers love a new high-tech gadget that meets a need, but any new tool needs a safety assessment and utility terrain vehicles (or UTVs, for short) are no exception.

Let’s back up a bit, though.

Before the UTV, there was the all-terrain vehicle, or ATV. These powerful and nimble vehicles rose to popularity as an alternative to trucks and tractors for small jobs around the farm where larger vehicles couldn’t always maneuver easily.

“ATVs can be a useful tool for certain jobs,” says Eric Lloyd, of Oregon Risk Management Solutions, “but they can definitely be linked to a high rate of serious injuries and fatalities, especially when used in ag settings.”

As Lloyd puts it, the good news is that the rate of ATV injuries and fatalities has dropped in recent years. Some of that may be due to better training, as with the ATV safety video put out by SAIF and distributed by Oregon Aglink. You can find it on the Oregon Aglink website or Youtube, and it is still a solid resource for farms where ATVs are commonly used.

On the other hand, the drop in ATV injuries also points to the rise in popularity of another vehicle: the UTV, sometimes just referred to by brands and models like Gator, Mule, or Razor. The added benefit of a wider body and side-by-side seating, seat belts, and rollover protection, can make the UTV seem safer– like a small truck or jeep– while still offering the utility and some of the agility of an ATV.

“Are UTV’s safer than ATV’s? Absolutely!” says Lloyd, but he continues with the more important questions: “Are they so safe that nothing can go wrong with them? There’s no way to get hurt with them, no matter what we do with them? Obviously not.”

There have still been plenty of serious injuries and even fatalities occurring on farms in Oregon and around the country related to UTV’s. As with any tool, especially one with a lot of power that can seem so easy to use for beginners, Lloyd reminds us that “a lot of it comes down to our choices and behaviors while we operate them.”

With UTVs gaining popularity on farms and ranches and presenting a need for updated training that was specific to the vehicle, Lloyd and SAIF have a new video available covering the specific aspects of safety training and reminders for UTV usage.

With Lloyd on board, as well as the help of Mt. Angel operations 4B Farms and Goschie Farms, the video is focused on agricultural usage like spraying and navigating through low-clearance orchards.

Some tips from the video:

• Only carry as many passengers as the vehicle has seats. If you haven’t removed ROPs for a low-clearance area, make sure everyone uses their seatbelts to avoid spilling out on a hard turn.
• Never reach your arms or legs out of the vehicle to “help” when it’s tipping or rolling over.
• Secure your cargo or move it closer to the cab. If your cargo or any additional equipment like a spray tank changes the center of gravity for your vehicle, use extra caution.
• Extra space means you can carry additional PPE or safety gear such as fire extinguishers or first aid kits that may not have fit on an ATV.
• Use an SMV and good lights if you’re out on public roads.

Since training videos are only as good as they’re used, SAIF has expanded the video library from a primarily physical distribution of DVDs to the online version through their Youtube channel. Additionally, having the videos produced in both English and Spanish expands the relevance of the video to more farm and ranch employees across Oregon.

While seasonal and long-term employees might speak other languages besides English and Spanish, having materials in these two languages helps keep more employees safe. This attitude toward translation is also behind the bilingual safety posters produced by Oregon Aglink, SAIF, and Oregon Risk Management Solutions, which focus on equipment vocabulary and common safety phrases associated with farming equipment and certain crops in Oregon.

The two most recent posters focused on safety language around forklifts and UTVs. The new training video is a must-see for any crew looking to operate their favorite UTVs safely, and the poster provides a strong visual reinforcement to hang up in a shop or breakroom. 

For printed or digital copies of posters, contact Allison Cloo at [email protected] or Eric Lloyd at [email protected]. To see this video, visit SAIF.com or their Youtube channel and search “UTV.” Other videos on ATV stability, tractors, and shop safety are available on the Youtube channel or DVD.

By Allison Cloo and Eric Lloyd (Oregon Risk Management Solutions)