Roll-Over Protection Structure (ROPS) for Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTVs)

United States Department of the Interior

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

Arizona State Office

One North Central Avenue, Suite 800

Phoenix, Arizona  85004-4427

 

September 3, 2009

In Reply Refer To:

1112(9500) P

 

EMS TRANSMISSION 9/04/2009

Instruction Memorandum No. AZ-2009-027

Expires:  When Superseded or Canceled     EXPIRED

 

 

Program Area:  Safety

 

Purpose:  The purpose of this Instruction Memorandum (IM) is to provide policy guidance for compliance with the Safety Manual 1112-1, Chapter 27, Off Highway Vehicles (OHV).  This directive requires all inventoried UTVs be retrofitted with ROPS or be removed from service.  A ROPS is an open steel framework enclosing a UTV that is strength rated to Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J2194-97 standards, or better, to resist collapse during a vehicle rollover (Note: Cab enclosures or brush cages are not always rated as ROPS).  The phase out period was one year after the directive was released, which was March 2008.

 

Policy/Action:  Effective immediately, all UTVs are to be retrofitted with ROPS or taken out of service.  All parts must meet manufacturer’s approval and compliance requirements for ROPS.  All UTVs purchased after the release of this directive, March 2008, must be equipped with ROPS prior to use.

 

Timeframe:  Effective immediately.

 

Background:  Risk assessments of current UTV operations and field analysis indicate UTVs with ROPS are required in certain terrain or operations to effectively ensure employee safety.  There have been several accidents with severe injuries from UTV roll-overs without ROPS in place.  Chapter 27 of the Safety Manual states that UTVs purchased without ROPS must be retrofitted with manufacturer approved ROPS within one year of release of the policy, or they shall be removed from service within three years if retrofit ROPS are not commercially available (Ref: Manual 1112-1 Chapter 27, Part 27.6 B, 1. 2).

 

Ensuring the safety and health of our employees is our primary concern.  It is clear that UTVs equipped with certified ROPS and used in conjunction with seatbelts, provides a far greater level of protection for personnel than UTVs without ROPS and seatbelts.

 

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected:  Safety Manual 1112-1, Chapter 27.

 

Contact:  For questions or further information, please contact Bill Huntington, State Safety Manager, at 602-417-9261.