The Waste Industry Health and Safety (WISH) Forum has urged the waste and recycling sector to “keep their practises under the most critical and challenging of reviews” in light of increasing community transmission of Covid-19.
Two RCV drivers in Milton Keynes last week after testing positive for Covid-19
And, the ESA has reiterated its call for recycling and waste operatives to be among those prioritised for access to the vaccine. This would help combat the “perfect storm” for impact on staffing with the winter cold and flu season and a more infectious strain of the coronavirus in circulation, it said.
This comes after the GMB Union last week labelled the waste sector as “one of the worst” in the UK at enforcing “basic” rules such as social distancing and mask wearing (see letrecycle.com story), after the death of two RCV drivers in Milton Keynes.
Guidance
Since publishing the first draft in March 2020, the WISH Forum has been regularly updating its guidance document for managing Covid-19 risks in the context of a range of waste management activities.
“WISH would encourage all those working in the waste and recycling sector to keep their practices under the most critical and challenging of reviews”
The latest update of the guidance was version 9, released on 6 January (see letsrecycle.com story).
In a statement given to letsrecyle.com, Chris Jones, chair of the WISH Forum, says the guidance makes clear “the importance of monitoring, management and enforcement” of risk reduction measures.
“WISH INFO13 v9 sets out a range of information which has been gathered from the practical experience of the industry combined with knowledge and understanding of COVID19 that is emerging from Government and other sources of information,” Mr Jones said.
He added: “In the light of recent increases in community transmission, with adverse effects on waste and recycling staffing levels, WISH would encourage all those working in the waste and recycling sector to keep their practices under the most critical and challenging of reviews and to adopt changes to them to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID19 wherever it is reasonably practicable to do so.”
Monitoring
Specifically on the monitoring of the guidance, Mr Jones continued: “Heightened attention should similarly be paid to levels of monitoring, management and enforcement of the risk measures that have been put in place.
“Employers and others working in the waste and recycling industry may find WISH REF07 – Example COVID-19 checklists useful as a way of measuring the effectiveness of the systems that they have devised and implemented.”
ESA
The executive director of the Environmental Services Association (ESA), Jacob Hayler, paid tribute to the two RCV drivers employed by its member Serco working on its contract with Milton Keynes council, who died after testing positive for Covid-19.
He added that the industry continues to monitor and review safe working practises, adding that most cases have been traced to community or home settings rather than the workplace.
Jacob Hayler reiterated the ESA’s call for waste and recycling operatives to be among the first for a vaccine
Mr Hayler said: “We’re very sorry to hear of the deaths of two of our industry colleagues and our thoughts are very much with their families. The world has been living with Coronavirus for over a year now, but the virus is no less deadly and, following the outbreak of a new variant, unfortunately more infectious than it has ever been.
“As a result of the growing number of Covid cases across the country, and in light of the higher rates of infection arising from the new variant of the virus, the recycling and waste management sector continues to monitor the situation closely; review safe-working practices and fine tune them as required. To date, we are not aware of a significant incidence of workplace transmission within our sector and most cases have been traced to community or home settings, which suggests that the existing working arrangements have been largely effective to date – but we must of course all remain vigilant.
“The WISH guidance has recently been revised to reinforce the role of in-cab ventilation for limiting the spread of the virus among collection crew members and the use of facemasks has been more widely adopted”.
HSE
In a bulletin sent out last week, the HSE said it is “continuing to conduct spot checks and inspections” on all types of businesses and workplaces to ensure guidance is being followed.
The body warned that with the increase in the number of coronavirus cases and the national lockdown restrictions now in place, all businesses that continue to operate must ensure their workplace is Covid-secure.
During lockdown, HSE says it will continue to carry out spot checks and inspections on businesses and will be increasing the number of calls and visits to check Covid-secure measures have been implemented in accordance with government guidance.
This includes all businesses which are continuing to operate with people coming into the workplace during this critical period.
GMB
Meanwhile, the GMB Union has urged the rapid testing of key workers where possible. In London, working with Brent council, GMB London has started to send out advice on Brent’s nine rapid outcome covid test centres. Steve Garelick, GMB London Regional Organiser, said: “GMB is calling on all councils to offer similar Covid lateral flow testing facilities. Facilities like these will help with the fight to stop the spread of the virus, but can only be effective if everyone adheres to government guidance, including self-isolation.”
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
