Minutes of the Waste Industry Safety and Health (WISH) Forum 23 January 2008 at DeFRA, Ergon House, London
Present
- Name
- Organisation
- Trevor Hay
- Health and Safety Executive (Chair)
- Position vacant
- (Secretary)
- Paul Harvey
- Health and Safety Executive
- Vincent Borg
- TUC
- Geoff Smallwood
- Chartered Institute of Wastes Management
- John Galvin
- DEFRA
- Toni Gladding
- Chartered Institute of Wastes Management (CIWM)
- Lisa Saunders
- Community Recycling Network
- Chris Jones
- Environmental Services Association
- Daniel Shears
- Trades Union Congress (TUC - substituting for John McClean)
- David Buxton
- Container Handling Equipment Manufacturers (CHEM)
- Dick Perry
- Waste & Resources Action Programme
Presenters and observers
- Name
- Organisation
- Shane Turner
- (HSL - presenter)
- Andrew Braund
- CPI (Observer)
- Peter Seggie
- CPI (Observer)
- Tim Proctor
- WRG (Observer)
- Gary Fox
- ECT (Observer)
Not attending
- Name
- Organisation
- Chris Jones
- Environmental Services Agency (ESA)
- Paul Thornber
- Environmental Services Agency (ESA)
- Bob Mason
- Local Government Association (LGA)
- Jeremy Jacobs
- Composting Association
- Mark Foxall
- Local Authorities Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC)
- Lawrence Strong
- WAMITAB
- Position vacant
- British Metals Recycling Association
Minutes of the previous meeting
The previous secretary had left his previous employment and was deemed to have resigned. Minutes of the last meeting were not available, but would be presented for the next meeting.
Secretary vacancy
Dr Toni Gladding (CIWM) proposed that she approaches CIWM who may wish to offer secretarial assistance.
Noise in glass collection
The draft guidance document was tabled. A number of comments had been received, including ones from WRAP and from ESA members. In view of this, it was decided to withhold immediate publication until some of the comments had been further investigated. It was decided to ask the "Noise in Glass Collection" working group to reconvene to resolve the issues raised.
Action: Trevor Hay to reconvene the working group and report to the next WISH meeting. Withhold publication of the draft guidance until the received comments had been investigated and/or resolved.
HSL Research Report - Selecting Collection Systems
Shane Turner of the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) presented the research (RR609 - Collecting, transfer, treatment and processing household waste and recyclables) and informed the meeting that the risk comparator tool was now live on the HSE website
It was stressed that the tool does not attempt to indicate the best collection technique, but it does give an indication of relative risks at a range of collection options.
As such, it indicates risks, which should be included with other considerations (speed, costs, householder acceptability, recyclable purity, environmental impact etc.) when selecting a collection system. It is not intended to be used as the sole consideration for selecting a collection system.
The tool is not to be used as a substitute for a suitable and sufficient risk assessment require under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations.
Safety culture
Paul Harvey (HSE) reported on comments made by Trevor Shaw (HSE, Head of Human Factors) regarding the opportunities to change the safety culture of the Waste and Recycling Industry.
Both the Chemicals and Construction industries had done work in this area, some of which may be transposable.
WISH may consider having a strategy that constituent member bodies buy into.
The Paper and Board Industries Advisory Committee already adopt this strategy, Andrew Braund and Peter Seggie (PABIAC) explained. Within PABIAC, each constituent body develops their own individual action plan to achieve the overall PABIAC strategy.
Action: Members to consider this issue and consult within the body they represent. Deciding on the way forward for WISH, and undertaking agreed actions, will form the basis of the next WISH meeting.
Publications update
Trevor Hay reported to the meeting that HSE were now required to produce economic impact assessments for all new publications. This is likely to add time to the production of new publications. The progress of publications is as follows:
- Practical Lock-off . This has been edited by HSE editorial staff and requires illustrations. Probably does not require an economic impact assessment since it is a reinterpretation of existing guidance.
- Design Considerations for MRFs. Requires an economic impact assessment.
- Offensive Hygiene Waste. Close to being published.
- Hazardous Waste Close to publication.
- Route Risk Assessments (ESA) Status uncertain.
Members current health and safety activities
CIWM
Following the Research carried out by Entec into the ways CIWM could contribute to improving health and safety performance, a stakeholder meeting is scheduled for 15 Feb 2008 to discuss the possibilities for actions.
Consideration is being given too a regular H&S column in the CIWM magazine, and a comments and questions board on the internet. CIWM are also working with Wrap on the scoping of 2 - weekly collections and the H&S implications.
CRN
The Community Recycling Network maintain a H&S page on their website. An email alert system exists to alert member to important and immediate H&S concerns or events. CRN has a Health and Safety Committee which meets regularly, but there is no proactive plan of work.
TUC
The trade unions have newsletters to safety representatives, and print periodicals which feature health and safety issues. Copies of the recent WISH/HSE card, "Stay clean - stay healthy" have been distributed. The GMB have 2 separate leaflets on H&S issues in the Waste and Recycling industry.
CHEM
Has a rolling plan of work centred partly on the development of BSEN and other standards so as to raise/maintain the quality and appropriateness of safety related equipment.
- CHEM now has its own new website
- a skip loader standard is nearing completion
- a draft regarding Hooklift standards has commenced
- the CHEM standard for REL stabilisers has been revised
- BSEN 1501-1 (RCVs) is being revised
- Important changes to the machinery directive come into force at the end of 2009
David Buxton informed the meeting of important changes which will require recertification of vehicles if changes and adaptations make it no longer "whole vehicle type approved". Clarity on the range and extent of the changes which would require recertification is being sought.
HSE
HSE inspectors were currently inspecting totting activities in line with the SIM 3/07/13 and Waste 18.
Commencing April 2008, inspectors would be routinely inspecting scrap metal activities.
The follow up to the original Bomel Report is very close to completion.
The new HSE Waste and Recycling webpages had been redesigned and written. They are now in the queue to be tested by the HSE webteam.
PABIAC Andrew Braund and Peter Seggie indicated that by setting a proactive workplan and individual constituent companies adopting a strategy based on HSG65, their accident incident rate had been driven down from 4 to 2.5 per 100,000.
PABIAC has been actively involved in assisting in the creation of the forthcoming guidance on baler and compactor safety. Assistance to HSE is being given to produce guidance on the retention of loads in curtain sided vehicles. PABIAC have recently held a 180 delegate conference including addressing the issue of staff/machinery interventions.
DEFRA
Proposals regarding risk based exemptions for waste licensing were being developed, so that the licensing regime would only apply to the more hazardous activities. Both the ESA/EU Skills and CIWM/WAMITAB technical competence schemes are progressing for Ministerial approval.
The Future of WISH
WISH was now close to the end of its plan of work. A brief discussion was held regarding the future of WISH. HSE commented that, although successful in the extent and quality of its guidance, the need for further guidance (addressing the main causes of accidents and ill health) was diminished.
The next meeting of WISH should address and decide upon:
- The role of WISH
- The adoption of a formal constitution for WISH
- The strategy that WISH should adopt to reduce accidents and occupational ill-health
Actions
Chair to write to the constituent organisations inviting them to prepare and brief their representative for full discussion at the next WISH meeting.
HSE to provide draft constitution and a briefing document for that meeting.
Members to confer with their organisations so as to reflect their corporate opinions, and make appropriate decisions at the next WISH meeting.
Dates of next meeting
Thanks were expressed to DEFRA for hosting this meeting.
The next scheduled meetings are:
- Wednesday 23 April 2008, CIWM, Northampton
- Tuesday 25 September 2008, HSE Offices, Birmingham