Occupational Health and Safety.

Carrying loads and towing

The handling and manoeuvrability of ride on vehicles is directly affected by the weight of the cargo and how that weight has been distributed in the cargo area.

When loading cargo into a ride on vehicle:
  • Never load above the height of the load guard.
Photo of load guard with maximum load height label on it.
  • Distribute the weight of the cargo evenly over the cargo box.
  • Avoid loads placed at the rear or sides of the cargo box as these can cause tipping.
  • Reduce the load when operating over rough terrain.
 Photo of cargo evenly spaced in cargo box.
  • Limit loads to what you can safely carry.
  • Securely anchor all loads.
 Photo of cargo securely tied down.
Control of a ride on vehicle is also greatly influenced by towing any implement. Always consider the following points when towing:
  • Only attach implements to the correct towing point on the vehicle.
  • Attachment to any other point on the vehicle may cause loss of control.
 Close up photo of towing hitch.
  • Always tow a load at a speed slow enough to maintain control of the vehicle.
 Image of speedometer under 15km/h.
  • Always load the cargo box when towing. This provides traction and braking power.
 Image of vehicle towing trailor - cargo tray is loaded as is trailor.
  • Do not tow loads that exceed the load rating for the towing point.
 Image of ride on vehicle trying to tow an elephant.

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