HSE issues waste guide

News | HSW
12.10.2007

The HSE has produced new guidance on training in the waste management and recycling industries.

The executive identified the sector as an accident "hotspot" in its analysis of the latest fatal accident statistics, which were published at the end of July. Official figures show that the waste and recycling industry had a death rate of 15.1 per 100,000 workers and refuse disposal services recorded a rate of 8.1 per 100,000 (Construction deaths leap up).

The new "good practice" guidance was written in consultation with the Waste Industry Safety and Health forum and is aimed at managers and others responsible for organising training in the waste and recycling industries.

The guidance offers advice on general training requirements - including planning, delivering, recording and reviewing training - and also sets out guidelines for five key areas that represent the primary causes of accidents in the sector:

• slips, trips and falls
  
• personal protective equipment
  
• manual handling
  
• workplace transport
  
• legislation and responsibilities.

The guidance, Health and Safety Training: Guidelines for the Waste Management and Recycling Industries (WASTE 21), is available to download at www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/waste21.pdf