The waste and recycling industry as a whole appears to be showing no sign of meaningful improvement in terms of health and safety, the Environmental Services Association has warned. And, it has now pledged to try and spread examples of good practice beyond its membership.
Source: HSE
The comment from the ESA, which represents the UK’s waste management sector, came after the Health and Safety Executive published a report this week on data for the last financial year.
This confirmed figures already released by the HSE that there were 14 fatal injuries in 2016/17.
However, while over the five years to 2016/17 there were 11 fatal injuries to members of the public arising from work activities in the waste sector, the HSE noted that in the past two years, there have been “no fatal injuries to members of the public”.
Pointing out that its members had reduced injuries by 37% over the two years since 2014, the Association emphasised the need for wider action.
Disappointing
Stephen Freeland, ESA’s health and safety policy advisor said: “For ESA these statistics are rather disappointing and don’t seem to reflect progress we’ve been making in recent years. In fact, our forward thinking approach to health and safety has seen ESA Members reduce injuries by 37% over the two years since 2014.”
Source: HSE
Mr Freeland continued: “It is nonetheless clear that the industry as a whole has much to do to reverse the trend identified in HSE’s statistics, and for its part ESA will continue to ensure best practice and ‘lessons learnt’ are disseminated more widely across the industry for the benefit of all. To accompany HSE’s press release, ESA has prepared a briefing explaining its approach to health and safety and the progress achieved in recent years.”
The HSE’s findings show that within the waste sector, 6,000 people suffered from a work-related illness each year of the past five years. And also over that period, nine people were struck by a moving vehicles while seven killed by contact with machinery and six died after being struck by an object.
HSE notes that waste sector work accounts for about 0.4% of the jobs in Great Britain.
Past year
Commenting specifically on the past year, the HSE said that the number of fatal injuries to workers in the waste sector in 2016/17 was 14, almost double the average for the past five years (eight). “This is largely explained by a single incident that resulted in five deaths.” (This was at the Hawkeswood Metal Recycling plant in Nechells, Birmingham).
Between 2010/11 and 2016/17 annually, around 5,000 workers in the waste sector sustained a non-fatal injury at work. Around half of these cases resulted in over three days absence from work.
In 2016/17, about a third of non-fatal accidents were due to slips, trips or falls, and a further third accounted for lifting and handling accidents. This is a similar pattern to earlier years.
In terms of the workers suffering a work-related illness, the HSE estimated that about 80% were suffering from musculoskeletal disorders or stress, depression or anxiety. “The remaining workers were suffering other types of illness, such as skin or respiratory conditions.”
Impact
With regard to the national data for all industries, Martin Temple, HSE Chair, said: “These latest figures should act as a spur to reduce the impact of ill-health and injury on Britain’s workforce and businesses and we cannot rest on our reputation.
“We will only achieve long term improvement by a collective approach to improve workplace standards. Poor standards lead to poor health and increased injuries which is bad for the workforce and business.”
HSE also noted: “Though there were fewer prosecutions taken in 2016/17, the statistics show an increase in fines to £69.9 million from the 2015/16 total of £38.8 million. New sentencing guidelines in England and Wales were introduced in 2016. Twenty large fines accounted for £30.7 million of the new figure.”
Related links
HSE report 2016/17 (opens as pdf)
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
