HSE warning over waste and recycling death toll

Call for renewed efforts to improve worker safety following nine fatalities over a 12-week period

THE Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning the waste and recycling industry to renew efforts to improve worker safety, following a spate of deaths over the summer.

Nine lives were lost in separate incidents in just 12 weeks between June 2012 and September 2012. Half of the deaths occurred in skip-hire and waste-transfer premises.

Heather Bryant, the operations director and lead for the HSE’s waste and recycling strategy, said: ‘These fatal accidents should be a stark reminder for all employers in this sector to check their controls on use of vehicles and equipment, and to make sure that staff are properly trained and supervised.

‘We will not hesitate to take action if we find evidence that lives are being put at risk.

‘There is no room for complacency in this sector – close attention must be given to equipment such as compactors and skip vehicles.’

The HSE has been at the waste and recycling industry’s RWM 2012 exhibition this week, giving advice on tackling the causes of serious accidents across this high-risk sector.

HSE investigations into the nine fatalities are continuing.