Leading waste management organisations pledge to reduce accidents by 10%

Date:

14 January 2009

Release No:

E010:09

The number of fatal incidents in the waste and recycling industry is more than 10 times the national average and reportable accidents in these workplaces are more than four times the national average. This had made working in the industry one of the most dangerous jobs in Great Britain.

As a result, members of the Waste Industry Safety and Health (WISH) forum have pledged to commit their organisations to improve these statistics by signing a five-year charter to:

• Reduce reportable accident rates by 10% per year over five years.
• Reduce number of working days lost owing to accidents and ill health.
• Promote effective health and safety management.
• Improve the health and safety climate and attitudes in the workforce. 
• Increase the level of competence.

WISH members represent waste management and recycling organisations, trades unions, local authorities and government departments, and have agreed to work together to improve the health, safety and well-being of their workers.

Judith Hackitt, chair of the Health and Safety Executive said: "It is heartening to see a strategic forum such as WISH commit to reducing the level of workplace accidents and ill health in their sector. This charter will bring WISH member organisations together to share best practice and to focus on a positive, common goal. I am confident that WISH will achieve this."

Chris Jones, chair of WISH and director of Risk Management and Compliance with Cory Environmental said: "The waste and recycling industry has been a dangerous place to work but by coming together in partnership and committing ourselves to the objectives in the charter we believe we can and are making a real difference.

"There is evidence that accident and injury rates in the industry have started to improve. We need to continue to work hard to maintain this momentum and to increase the focus on health, safety and welfare issues within our workforce."

Kay Carberry, TUC’s Assistant General Secretary said: "Any attempt to improve safety in this industry gets our full support. With trade unions, employers and the regulator involved, WISH will forge a much better future for the waste and recycling industry by making it safer and healthier to work in."

Notes to editors

1. More information about health and safety in the waste and recycling industry (including statistics) can be found here: www.hse.gov.uk/waste/index.htm
2. Members of WISH represent:
   • Association for Organics Recycling
   • British Metals Recycling Association
   • Chartered Institution of Wastes Management
   • Community Recycling Network UK
   • Container Handling Equipment Manufacturers Association
   • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
   • Energy and Utility Skills
   • Environment Agency
   • Environmental Services Association
   • Health & Safety Executive
   • Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee
   • Local Government Employers
   • Trades Union Congress
   • Waste and Resources Action Programme
   • Waste Management Industry Training and Advisory Board
3. The report ‘Mapping the health and safety performance of the UK waste industry’ shows the industry has an incident rate four to five times the national average (i.e. approximately 2,500 incidents per 100,000 workers per year). It can be found on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr240.htm

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