Health and Safety in the Waste Management and Recycling industries - Incident Statistics

Interpretation of available statistics indicates that waste industry compares unfavourably with some industries traditionally considered to be amongst the riskiest.

The statistics below come from ‘Mapping health and safety standards in the UK waste industry’, a report of a research project carried out by Bomel Limited for HSE and show that, in 2001-02,

• the number of fatal incidents are over ten times the national average
• accident rates are four times the national average.

The diagrams below enjoy indicative status only and caution is to be exercised in their interpretation. Both statistical sources used, the report, Mapping health and safety standards in the UK waste industry and publications in the 'Health & Safety Statistics Highlights' series comment on accident reporting inconsistencies across British industry.

Fatal Accidents 2001-2002: some industries compared

Major injuries and 'over 3 day injuries' 2001-2002: some industries compared.

The causes of accidents in the industry are given below

The main causes of injury continue to be:

• Manual handling/musculoskeletal
• Slips/trips
• 'Struck by' (including transport)
• Falls from height (including from vehicles)
• Machinery

The Waste Management and Recycling Industry: Causes of major injuries and fatalities 2001-2002