The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is this year to carry out “targeted inspections” of the waste sector which will focus on machinery guarding and workplace transport at sites.
The executive has published a workplan for the sector, which says in the fourth quarter of 2020/21 (January to March 2021) it will target machine guarding and workplace transport, as the two issues account for the majority of fatalities in the sector.
The HSE is launching the targeted inspections as ‘waste and recycling is a high-risk sector’
The HSE says that during the last five years there has been an average of nine fatalities annually in the waste industry, with more than three quarters of all fatal injuries related to transport, machinery, and being struck by objects.
The fatality rate is around 18 times greater than the rate across all industries per 100,000 workers, the HSE added.
Questions
When visiting sites, an inspector will ask the following questions:
- What processes are carried out and equipment used?
- Are control measures adequate to manage the risks?
- If control measures are not adequate, what are the specific control failings (i.e. control measures not being identified, used, checked, or maintained)?
- Are there any management failings (e.g. policy, planning, information, training, supervision, monitoring, competence, leadership)?
- Was there any safety guidance involvement?
- Was there a Material Breach(es) or Enforcement action taken?
Inspections
The agency says that during its targeted inspections it will assess key safety risks from transport and machinery through suitable control measures, as well as industry specific matters of evident concern and matters of potential major concern.
This includes fire and explosion, structural safety and exposure to oxygen deficient atmospheres.
Machinery
(Stock photo) The HSE says operators should provide one or more readily accessible emergency stop controls on conveyors
The document published by the HSE outlined a number of situations an inspector could identify as risk of serious personal injury, and issue a prohibition notice.
For balers, this includes the ability for staff to access compacting parts during baler operation and/or the ability to reach into dangerous parts of machine from any opening.
The HSE said operators should prevent access to any dangerous part of machinery and introduce interlocked guards. If full body access is necessary then “additional precautions may be necessary”, the HSE said.
For conveyors, examples include poor positioning or an inadequate number, or incorrect type, of emergency stop devices provided.
The HSE says operators should provide one or more readily accessible emergency stop controls, and prevent access to any dangerous parts of machinery.
For all machinery, the HSE says having no means to isolate and lock off power supply poses a risk, as are any guards which are damaged or defeated.
The HSE added that maintenance operations which involve a risk to health or safety can not be carried out while the work equipment is shut down.
Transport
For transport, the HSE says situations which pose a risk include inadequate segregation of pedestrians and vehicles, no safe refuges for totters/drivers or inadequate maintenance on vehicles.
To combat this, operators must use a traffic route without causing danger to the health or safety of persons at work near it, ensure work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, as well as implement sufficient separation for vehicles and pedestrians using the same traffic route.
Sectors
The anaerobic digestion, catalytic converter recycling, collections, energy from waste and composting sectors will not face targeted inspections.
The HSE is also actively asking for paperwork showing Covid-19 security measures adopted in the work place, and is carrying out targeted inspections across the UK.
Useful links:
Waste & Recycling Sector Workplan 2020-21: Targeted Inspections
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
