The number of enforcement notices served over health and safety issues in waste and recycling activities increased in 2015/16, rising from 310 to 347, according to a report by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
And, a total of 26 prosecutions were concluded against waste firms for health and safety failings, with fines totalling over £1.3 million during the year, the HSE has claimed.
HSE has published its annual report on health and safety in the waste sector
The statistics come as part of HSE’s annual ‘Health and safety in the waste sector in Great Britain 2016’ report, which observes trends in workplace deaths, illnesses and injuries over the past 12 months.
The report confirms that the waste sector recorded a total of six worker fatalities in 2015/16 – up by one compared to the figures for 2014/15 (see letsrecycle.com story). It also revealed an estimated 5,000 self-reported injuries having been recorded.
The data suggests that on average there have been 5.1 fatalities per 100,000 workers in the waste industry since 2011/12. Out of all main industries, only agriculture recorded a higher fatal injury rate during this period.
Injuries
The number of self-reported non-fatal injuries in the workplace remained static at around 5,000, similar to the previous year. Around half of these cases resulted in over three days’ absence from work.
Of the 1,863 non-fatal injuries reported by employers, 447 were for specified injuries which includes fractures, amputations and serious burns. The remaining 76% of injuries reported by employers resulted in a seven-day absence from work.
Employer reported non-fatal injuries to workers by accident kind in 2015/16
Of these, over half were due to slips, trips and falls (29%) or lifting and handling accidents (28%). Around 90% of specified injuries were fractures with over half resulting from slips, trips and falls and falls from height.
Illnesses
Elsewhere, work-related illnesses also remained static in 2015/16 with an average of 6,000 workers reporting they were suffering from an illness they believed had been made worse by their work.
Of these 6,000 complaints, more than 75% were for musculoskeletal disorders or stress, depression or anxiety, with the remaining workers suffering ‘other’ types of illnesses including skin or respiratory conditions.
Impacts
The immediate impact of accidents and illnesses has had a considerable effect on business across the waste sector, HSE reported – with an annual average of between 23,000 and 132,000 working days lost due to workplace injury, between 0.22 and 1.23 days off per worker.
HSE uses the Labour Force Survey – a national survey of households – and statutory notifications of workplace injuries data under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrence Regulations (RIDDOR) to compile its findings.
Related Links
Health and safety in the waste sector in Great Britain 2016
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
