The waste and recycling sector in the UK recorded just one fatal injury in 2021/22, the lowest figure for the past six years, data published today (6 July) by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) shows.
The number of fatal injuries in the UK waste and recycling sector during the past six financial years has fallen, with one recorded in 2021/22
The data covers April 2021 to March 2022, during which time most pandemic-related restrictions were lifted and the economy began returning to normal.
The figures relate to work-related accidents and do not include deaths arising from occupational diseases or diseases arising from “certain occupational exposures”, including Covid-19.
The one fatal injury occurred when a moving vehicle struck Joseph McDonald Kennedy, 66, who was collecting non-hazardous waste for Woods Waste in Blackpool on 4 October 2021 (see letsrecycle.com story).
Between 2017/18 and 2020/21, the waste sector recorded an average of five fatal injuries per year, representing 4.58 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers. In 2021/22, the fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers in the sector fell to 0.78.
In a report published alongside the data, the HSE said: “The waste and recycling sector has an elevated rate of fatal injury [between 2017/18 and 2020/21] compared to the average across all industries: 11 times as high.
“However, with just one worker death in the sector in 2021/22 the rate for this year alone is markedly lower than the average rate for this sector across the five-year period.”
Overall
The data shows 123 people across all sectors were killed at work in 2021/22, 19 fewer than in 2020/21.
The three most common causes of fatal injuries continue to be falling from height (29), being struck by a moving vehicle (23) and being struck by a moving object (18).
The industries with the highest deaths were construction (30), agriculture, forestry, and fishing (22) and manufacturing (22).
A further 80 members of the public were killed following a work-related accident in 2021/22.
Sarah Albon, the HSE’s chief executive, said: “While Great Britain is one of the safest countries in the world to work, today’s figures show we must continue to ensure safety remains a priority.
“Every loss of life is a tragedy, and we are committed to making workplaces safer and holding employers to account for their actions, as part of our mission to protect people and places.”
Thanks to letsrecycle.com for the original article.
IMEC Technologies provides Safety Management Software to increase worker safety and aid compliance. IMEC’s Safety Management Software will manage inspections and audits, provides hazard identification, incident reporting, management of corrective and preventative actions from generation to closure. IMEC provides lock out tag out software solutions that will allow users to create lockout tagout procedures using an intuitive Mobile App and Manage Lockout Tagout Procedures, also the Review and Execution of those Lockout Tagout Procedures using the Mobile App. Annual Lockout Tagout Procedures audits are conducted using a Mobile App. The Mobile Inspection App allow users to perform inspections and audits, for example the system can be used as a Fire Extinguisher Barcode Inspection Software system to manage monthly fire extinguisher inspections and general fire safety inspections and also to record safety observations and manage corrective actions, anywhere and anytime. The solution can be used as a fire extinguisher barcode inspection software system or life safety inspection system to aid compliance in Higher Education, Healthcare, Industrial and Commercial Organizations. Benefits from a Fire Extinguisher Barcode System include the elimination of paperwork and reducing the burden of compliance with regulations such as NFPA, The Joint Commission. The Incident Reporting App allows users to easily and quickly report incidents, hazards and near-misses, these are then sent to the appropriate people for action and are managed to closure. Web Apps provide features such as, setup, management, scheduling tools, analysis, reporting and dashboards etc with the ability to report incidents to government bodies such as OSHA and RIDDOR. HazMat T&T is a hazardous waste management software solution designed for Environmental Service Companies and companies who generate a large quantity of hazardous waste. The solution tracks hazardous waste from cradle to grave aiding compliance, providing accurate waste inventory, increasing waste handling efficiency, reducing risk and also helps manage waste costs. HazMat T&T Hazardous Waste Management Software can be deployed in a number of deployment scenarios, from Large Hazardous Waste Generators, tracking their hazardous waste at their site to Environmental Service and Waste Management Companies using it track and manage hazardous waste at transfer and disposal sites. For more information visit our website www.imectechnologies.com