COVID-19: Online resources available for waste-recycling industry
HSE reminds firms not to forget health and safety basics whilst taking measures to reduce coronavirus infection
THE Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recently circulated an e-bulletin urging waste companies not to forget to control other serious health and safety risks when running their business, while taking measures to reduce the chances of the COVID-19 infection.
According to the HSE, there is a perception that the workforce may be forgetting the ‘basic’ risks in their focus on COVID-19 and, as a result, firms are having near misses with a high potential for a serious accident.
The HSE recently released its annual workplace fatality figures for 2019/20 showing that the waste and recycling sector still has a fatality rate 18 times that of the all industry rates. Transport- and machinery-related risks remain the main causes of fatality in the sector, whilst other prevalent causes of non-fatal accidents involve slips, trips and falls, together with lifting and handling.
Whilst monitoring precautions against COVID-19 remains important, employers also need to ensure that monitoring for compliance with precautions aimed at other risks continues and is not degraded.
HSE have, therefore, provided an update on the latest advice and guidance on the coronavirus outbreak for employers and employees in the waste-recycling industry. Readers can access the HSE online guide by clicking here.
