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Media Tips and Case Studies
Golf Cars
Safety first
Standards are always at work.
Something for everyone: manufacturers, owners and golfers
Safety first
Golf cars are a convenience enjoyed by millions of
players. Nearly two-thirds of all regulation 18-hole rounds are played with
golf cars and for some, especially golfers with disabilities, these vehicles
are a necessity [1] . As much as they are
relied upon, however, golf cars are often improperly used and neglected. Unsafe
operation can lead to accidents and personal injuries and can cause serious
damage to the course.
Golf car safety is enhanced when the machines are operated within a specific
set of safety rules and practices such as not relying on the brake while
driving down a steep hill or not cleaning an electrically powered car with a
pressure hose
Standards are always at work
According to industry experts, golf cars are considered safe when properly
operated in accordance with the safety and operation warnings affixed to the
machines. Fred Somers, general counsel and secretary/treasurer of the National
Golf Car Manufacturers Association (NGCMA), notes, "There is a certain level of
efficiency and safety needed for a golf car; standards can be used to make sure
that adequate levels of safety are met."
Somers explained that the NGCMA Engineering Specifications Committee set about
to develop standards for the safe use of golf cars. NGCMA was also accredited
(i.e., recognized) by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), a
private non-profit organization that administers and coordinates the U.S.
voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system, as a developer of
American National Standards for golf car safety.
The NGCMA-developed guidelines were approved and published in 1999 as the
American National Standard for Golf Cars - Safety and Performance
Specification, (ANSI/NGCMA Z130.1-1999). The standard "was developed to
establish safety specifications for the design and operation of electric and
gasoline-powered golf cars . . . Safety codes and standards are intended to
enhance public health and safety." Z.130.1 stipulates general safety practices,
maintenance, fuel handling and storage/battery charging, operating safety rules
and practices, and manufacturers requirements for electric-powered and
gasoline-powered cars.
In addition to these safety expectations, effective performance criteria (e.g.,
making sure that all golf cars, no matter what manufacturer, work the same way
under the same conditions) are included, as well as references to other safety
standards, including ANSI Z535.4-1998, Product safety signs and labels,
ANSI/NFPA 30-1996, Flammable and combustible liquids code, and ANSI/NFPA
58-1998, Storage and handling of liquefied petroleum gases.
Something for everyone: manufacturers, owners and golfers
The first step in golf car safety is for both the manufacturer and the user of
the equipment to be well informed. Because the Z130.1 standard is voluntary,
implementation of the standard cannot be mandated. However, users of golf car
equipment are encouraged to investigate whether the equipment they use or own
has been properly constructed in accordance with the criteria referenced
ANSI/NGCMA Z130.1 and to become familiar with the safety and usage manuals, and
the instructional labels, provided with every golf car.
Those who care for the equipment, such as golf course employees, should be
especially conscious of relevant safety and maintenance standards so that they
are able to instruct golfers on how to properly use these vehicles.
By putting standards first, golfers can safely concentrate on the more enjoyable
aspects of their game.
[1] According to the Golf Course
Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).
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