WAMITAB
Training is the key to keeping employees safe from workplace risks
Keeping people safe is a key concern for those responsible for running waste and recycling operations. Over the last 12 months the trade and national press have carried reports of incidents involving waste workers or members of the public, which have resulted in serious, life-changing injuries or even fatalities.
In October 2016, a recycling truck driver in Scotland was sentenced to a year in prison after a fatal incident. Last February, the Environmental Services Association (ESA) published a report:
“Aiming for Zero Harm in the Waste & Recycling Industry” – which highlighted the fact the dramatic pace of change within the industry presents a number of health and safety challenges. Workers in the waste management sector
feel their health and safety is at risk. Data from the European Working Conditions Survey 2010 showed 36.9% agree with this statement and 33.9% feel their health is negatively affected by their work.
What the statistics show The Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
publish annual statistics for the waste management and recycling sector (
hse.gov. uk/waste). The report for 2016 showed there were six fatal injuries to workers in waste management in 2015/16, broadly the same as the average for the previous five years. For the waste management sector as a
whole, just under a third of fatal accidents fall into the category ‘struck by moving vehicles.’ It is a recognised many accidents in the waste and recycling industry occur during the collection of waste on the public highway. It is important employers set
in place procedures to manage the risk for collection crews, the public and other road users.
24 SHM December 2016 Issue 132 It is not just workers that are affected
either, as the report from HSE noted there had been 12 fatal injuries to members of the public arising from work activities in the waste sector in the last five years, with 25% of the fatalities relating to moving vehicles.
What can be done to address this? HSE produce a useful guide: “Safe transport
in the waste and recycling industry” (Waste 09), which is available via the HSE website and includes the key elements to be considered when looking to keep operatives, sites, vehicles and the public safe. Published in June 2014, the document noted
that: “The overall number of transport-related incidents in the waste and recycling sector is comparatively small (about 4% of all reported accidents). However, the consequences are often serious, and they are the most common causes of fatalities in the industry.” The guidance highlights that to manage
the risks from workplace transport effectively, it is important to consider three key areas: » Safe site » Safe vehicle » Safe driver Employers should make sure
all workers are fit and competent to operate all the vehicles (and machinery) they use at work, in all the environments in which they use them; this is includes work sites and roads – and other areas which may be used by visitors and the general public. Employers should know what
Chris James CEO at WAMITAB has over 30 years’ experience in vocational education as a Principal Lecturer, Chief Examiner, External Verifier and Moderator with high profile education and awarding organisations. WAMITAB provides an end-to-end solution from operative to management level qualifications in resource management and recycling; cleaning; street cleansing; facilities management and parking. Visit
www.wamitab.org.uk for more information or follow us on Twitter @WAMITAB.
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hazards and risks are in their workplaces and take steps to reduce these risks.
Training Training is key. From the initial induction
training for all new staff to ensure they are aware of company practices and rules, through to job specific training and regular refresher sessions for longer term staff. It is important skills and knowledge are kept
‘fresh’ to maintain good work practices, and to ensure standards are not allowed to slip. This is where Validate from WAMITAB can complement vocational qualifications and in house training, by helping companies to assess the competence of workers and identify areas where some additional training might be relevant. Validate is a useful audit tool to check if
employees have the appropriate skills and knowledge to perform their job to the correct standard.
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