Gardener killed after ride-on mower roll-over

A person has died following a ride-on lawn mower accident in Victoria last month.

The gardener was mowing with a zero-turn ride-on mower near an embankment when it rolled down almost two metres. The person was pinned underneath and suffered fatal injuries. A roll-over protection device was not fitted to the mower.

At this stage there are no details available of the type or size of ride on mower being used.

How can a similar incident be avoided?

Tragic incidents involving ride-on lawn mowers can be avoided. The risk of a roll over can be eliminated by:

• Staying clear of uneven surfaces or slopes when using a zero-turn ride-on lawn mower.

• Using an alternative mower type on uneven surfaces or slopes, alternatives may include remote control mowers, a line trimmer or a push mower.

When the risk cannot be eliminated, consider other methods of reducing the risk of roll-overs including:

• Roll-over protective structures (ROPS)  are mandatory on ride on mowers over a certain weight. Zero turn mowers weighing greater than 400kg, and non-zero turn mowers weighing over 600kg require a ROPS.

• Ensure the ROPS is free from damage such as dents, drill holes, cuts or welds that may reduce the effectiveness of the structure in the event of an incident.

• If a ROPS is fitted to your mower, ensure it has a safety label stating ‘seatbelts must be worn’ in a location easily seen by operators.

• Always inspect the worksite to consider hazards that may be present on the site that may increase the risk of doing the task, including identification of slopes, uneven ground, overhead obstructions, trees, bushes, rocks, animals, pedestrians, other workers and mobile equipment.

• Determine a way of conducting the work that accounts for the presence of any of these hazards.

Plant Assessor can help

You can ensure your machinery is safe for use by conducting daily inspections and periodic risk assessments using Plant Assessor. 

Our unique and unrivalled software allows you to easily inspect and assess your plant against Australian legislation and standards, before providing you with a corrective action report that can be used to help eliminate or reduce the risks. In addition, Plant Assessor can provide safe operating procedures on over 100,000 items of machinery.

For more information or to request a Plant Assessor demo, give our team of machinery compliance experts a call on 1300 728 852 or email them at info@assessor.com.au.

Disclaimer: This information is intended to provide general information on the subject matter. This is not intended as legal or expert advice for your specific situation. You should seek professional advice before acting or relying on the content of this information.