The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has confirmed to letsrecycle.com that refuse collectors/binmen in England and Wales don’t have a higher Covid-19 mortality rate, as has been reported in some national media.
Data published by the non-ministerial department yesterday examined mortality rates by sector. It found that there were 7,961 deaths involving Covid-19 in the entire working age population (aged 20 to 64 years) of England and Wales registered between 9 March and 28 December 2020.
A total of 13 deaths were recorded in the ‘refuse and salvage occupations’, a rate of 45.8 per 100,000 workers
The figures were broadly broken down into nine categories which included ‘elementary professions’, which covers roles such as lorry drivers, security guards and postal workers.
This showed a total of 669 male deaths in the ‘elementary sector’, giving a rate of 66.3 per 100,000 workers. For women, there were 227 deaths, a rate of 22.1.
Specifics
However, the ONS confirmed that refuse collectors would actually fall under a sub category called ‘refuse and salvage occupations’. This showed that there were 13 overall deaths, giving a rate of 45.8.
This is compared to 115.7 for food preparation and hospitality trades, and 143.2 for elementary process plant operations.
Of all of the 88 industries with a mortality rate per 100,000 workers, ‘refuse and salvage occupations’ ranked 45th out of 88, with ‘bakers and flour confectioners’ highest with 715.6.
However, with 13 overall deaths, the ONS added that as there are less than 20 deaths for refuse workers, “the rates are deemed unreliable”.
The statistics also included ‘all deaths’ in the sector . This showed there were 184 in the refuse and salvage sector, a rate of 620.9 per 100,000.
Sector
The definition of refuse and salvage occupations cover those who supervise and undertake the collection and processing of refuse from household, commercial and industrial premises.
This includes tasks such as riding in refuse vehicles, carrying waste materials in dustbins into a refuse truck, or collecting/sorting recyclable material in preparation for recycling.
It would also cover those who attend the operation of refuse skips, supervise the use of public refuse disposal facilities or compacts and covers up refuse at landfill sites.
Waste
The statistics also show there were six Covid-19 deaths in the ‘Waste disposal and environmental services manager’ sector, and doesn’t include a rate per 100,000 people.
This includes managers who plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the operations and development of waste disposal and related environmental services facilities within private firms or public authorities.
“Those working in close proximity to others continue to have higher Covid-19 death rates when compared with the rest of the working age population.”
Proximity
Ben Humberstone, head of health analysis and life events, said: “Today’s analysis shows that jobs with regular exposure to COVID-19 and those working in close proximity to others continue to have higher COVID-19 death rates when compared with the rest of the working age population. Men continue to have higher rates of death than women, making up nearly two thirds of these deaths.”
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
