HSE WM/506/08 11 February 2008

HSE warns waste industry to ensure safe systems are in place for reversing refuse trucks - after schoolgirl is killed

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning the waste industry to ensure that adequate precautions are taken to prevent injuries caused by reversing waste and recycling collection vehicles. Warning follows HSE’s prosecution of Coventry City Council after an 11-year old girl was killed.

Coventry City Council was today (11th February 2008) fined £125,000 and ordered to pay costs of £40,000 at Coventry Crown Court after pleading guilty to breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

On the morning of 4 April 2006, Amy Robinson, 11, was on her way to school when she was struck and killed by a reversing City Council collection vehicle at the junction of Longfellow Road and Coleridge Road in the Stoke area of Coventry. 

Investigating HSE Inspector Paul Smith, said: "There is a tragic history of pedestrians, particularly children and old people, being run over by refuse collection vehicles. These incidents must act as a stimulus for the industry to review its procedures, making sure that vehicle risks are properly controlled.  There are simple and straight forward control measures that have been specifically designed for the waste and recycling industry."

"HSE, working in partnership with the waste and recycling industry has produced a set of clear standards which have been shown to be reasonable and practicable by other local authorities and organizations.  By using the collection staff to keep a look out as the vehicle reverses, warning pedestrians and instructing the driver to stop if a pedestrian is likely to enter the reversing zone are some of the simple measures that can be taken." 

Ends

Notes to editors

1. Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as it is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health and safety."
2. Since April 2005 there has been 6 members of the public killed by reversing waste/ recycling collection vehicles whilst undertaking collection activities.
3. The guidance "Waste and recycling vehicles in street collection" (www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/waste04.pdf [507KB]) sets out the full range of control measures that can eliminate or reduce the risks from operating collection vehicles in the street.  This was drawn up by The Health and Safety Executive and the Waste Industry Safety and Health (WISH) Forum. 
4. WISH consists of representatives of the public, private and community sectors, professional bodies, trade unions, manufacturers, the Health and Safety Executive and other government bodies.  It has produced a range of guidance which can be found on HSE’s website at www.hse.gov.uk/waste/information.htm

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