Alberta's OHV helmet law and farm work: what the exemptions actually say

A question we hear every fall: do I need a helmet to check cattle on the quad? Alberta's helmet law has a few exemptions that matter on farms and acreages. Here's what the Government of Alberta says, in plain language.

The law

Since May 15, 2017, CSA-compliant helmets have been required for anyone driving, riding in or on, or being towed by an off-highway vehicle in Alberta, unless an exemption applies. OHVs include ATVs, side-by-sides (UTVs), dirt bikes and snowmobiles. Alberta's OHV definition excludes farm machinery and construction machinery.

The exemptions that matter on farms

• Your own property. No helmet is required when you use an OHV on your own property.
• Someone else's private land, with permission. Riding over to the neighbour's quarter with their OK is exempt.
• Farm or ranch work exempt from OHS. The exemption covers farm and ranch work that's exempt from Alberta's occupational health and safety laws. Alberta's farm OHS rules apply only to waged, non-family workers, so family members doing chores generally fall in the exempt group.
• Factory rollover protection plus seatbelts. Helmets aren't required in vehicles with manufacturer-installed rollover protective structures and seatbelts, if they haven't been modified and the belts are being worn. Many side-by-sides qualify. Most ATVs don't.

The list also covers First Nations reserve and Métis Settlement lands, and members of the Sikh faith who wear a turban.

What isn't covered

• Hired workers. If you employ waged, non-family workers, Alberta's farm OHS rules apply to them. Their work isn't "farm or ranch work exempt from OHS", so check the farm and ranch OHS page for your obligations.
• Public land and road allowances. Once you leave private land, for example to use a three-digit highway for farm work under Alberta's Ministerial Order, the exemptions for your own property no longer apply.
• A side-by-side with modified rollover protection, or riders who aren't wearing the belts.

Why the advice still says wear one

Exempt doesn't mean safe. Alberta Agriculture's ATV safety guidance says to wear an approved helmet with face and eye protection. Alberta Health Services' ATV safety sheet says to always wear a helmet, and cites U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission figures that helmet use reduces the risk of ATV head injuries by 64 per cent and death by 42 per cent.

For the full picture of farm rules for ATVs and side-by-sides, see Alberta rules for ATVs and side-by-sides on the farm.

This is a plain-language summary. The Government of Alberta's pages and the Traffic Safety Act and regulations are the official sources, and rules can change.