Health & Safety


 COMPASS’s Deborah Williams


Latest fi gures show stress makes up 40% of ill health in waste sector


THE UK generates around 430 million tonnes of waste each year and it is estimated around 160,000 workers are employed in the waste industry.


Annually, around 6,000 workers in t he waste sector were suff ering from an illness they believe was caused or made worse by their work. The HSE estimate around 40% encountered musculoskeletal disorders, while the same percentage of people are suff ering with stress, including depression and anxiety, with the remaining workers suff ering other types of physical ill health, such as skin or respiratory conditions.


Around 4.8% of workers in Great Britain’s waste sector suff er from an illness they believe was caused or made worse by their work in the sector. This statistic is higher than the rate for workers across all industries (3.2%).


With the ongoing emphasis by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on health risks and safety hazards, employers should ensure they are doing everything possible to comply with the legislation and to protect the health of workers.


Within the waste management and recycling industry, some key health hazards include:


• Bioaerosols • Needlestick injuries • Personal hygiene • Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) • Noise • Dust


A risk assessment should be carried out to identify which health risks present a hazard to workers and others. The risk assessment should also consider the control measures in place and if enough is being done to prevent workers suff ering ill health due to working. Most risks are


eliminated or reduced by simple control measures, but there are some activities where health surveillance and possibly immunisation may also be needed.


Ill health from potentially hazardous substances or microorganisms, during collection and sorting activities, can occur via the following routes:


• Skin contact, especially through cuts/abrasions or contact with the eye’s mucus membrane;


• Skin penetration through sharps injuries;


• Ingestion through hand-to-mouth contact (usually when eating, drinking or smoking);


• Breathing in infectious aerosols/ droplets from the air.


• Additionally, sharp items, such as broken glass and tin cans, may increase the risk of exposure.


Personal Hygiene


A good standard of personal hygiene is essential to prevent ill health. Facilities should be provided for workers to maintain eff ective hygiene, including appropriate protective clothing, for example, gloves, safety boots and cut- resistant trousers.


At fi xed sites, adequate hand-washing facilities (including warm running water, soap, towels) must be present. For on- collection vehicles, hand wash basins (with soap, warm/cold water provision and towels), hand wipes and hand gels either separately or in combination must be provided (as well as in conjunction with other measures, such as provision of personal protective equipment), as appropriate to the activity and risk.


Alternative control measures can be used if it can be demonstrated they are


the most eff ective and reliable control options. Factors to consider include:


• The nature and type of materials being collected;


• The potential level (low/medium/ high) and frequency of contamination;


• Levels of containment; • Routes of exposure; • The location of collection activities;


The hierarchy of controls and specifi c measures, as well as principles of good practice (as outlined in COSHH 2002) such that the control measures adopted are eff ective, reliable, practicable and workable to control exposure adequately;


• Emergency decontamination procedures and arrangements.


Health surveillance


Implementation of health surveillance allows early identifi cation of ill health and helps to make sure there is corrective action. Health surveillance may also be a legal requirement if employees are exposed to solvents, fumes, dusts, biological agents and other substances hazardous to health.


Employers will need to review their risk assessments when feedback from health surveillance indicates harmful exposure may be taking place.


Employers may need the advice of a competent person, such as an occupational health professional for advice and assistance in assessing the need for health surveillance.


Contact Lindsay Halliwell at Compass Medical on:


lhalliwell@compass-ms.co.uk Deborah Williams CMIOSH RMaPS is Principal Safety Consultant at Compass Ltd.


Deborah specialises in assisting private sector organisations within the construction, waste management and extractive industries.


You can contact her on - 01257 482256 or via email: dwilliams@compass-ms.co.uk 26 SHWM November, 2018 www.skiphiremagazine.co.uk


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