H&S Urges Waste Industry To Use Plastic
posted in Articles |Backed by the Health & Safety Executive’s laboratory research findings, Simon Dutta, head of marketing and customer service at Plastic Omnium, Europe’s leader in waste containment, explains why plastic is the material of the future for bins.
In a report on waste collection, the HSE reports1: ‘Whilst there is a high awareness of the risk associated with hazards such as transport and sharp objects, the perception of risks associated with manual handling is much lower.’
We have a health and safety problem - the waste industry is one of the most dangerous to work in. Every year, 4,000 accidents happen to an estimated 160,000 workers in waste management1. Accident rates in the trade and domestic waste collection industry are four times the national average and fatalities are ten times the norm2. An estimated 40,000 more will join the ranks of waste workers by 2010 in order to meet the Government’s 30% recycling target1.
This summer, the HSE ran a major national initiative focused on reducing the incidence of back pain at work because musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common occupational illness in Great Britain, affecting 1.1 million people a year. MSDs accounted for 23% of all injuries sustained in the waste and recycling industry in 2002/3.
HSE’s findings
So what can be done to reduce that risk of injury? A bin made from lighter-weight materials is one of the solutions according to an HSE report which explores ways of reducing accidents in the waste industry.
Plastic bins are safer than metal ones because they’re lighter to manoeuvre especially in the larger 360 and 1100 litre containers used in the commercial sectors. The largest group of accidents involve manual handling.
Dr Andrew Pinder – who led the research on behalf of the Health & Safety Executive - said: “we were looking at the risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders which are a real problem in refuse collection. The study found plastic-wheeled bins are preferable to metal ones as their lightness makes them easier to manoeuvre.”
Plastic Omnium’s worldwide experience is that plastic is the material of choice for bins and in mainland Europe, metal bins are rarely seen.
Dr Pinder concurs, “the vast majority of research done on this matter is European and is consistent with our findings. Wheeled bins offer clear health and safety benefits over refuse sacks, and plastic bins are preferable to metal ones. Refuse sacks don’t protect operators from injuries from sharp objects in the waste, and manually handling them is rife with risks for musculoskeletal disorders – operators’ postures often involve awkward stooping and twisting as they lift and carry bags and often have to raise their hands above their heads as they toss bags into the back of the truck.”
Plastic Omnium offers its customers both plastic and metal bins – but it and its customers - recognised long ago that plastic is preferable. Customers prefer plastic bins for their ease of operation as well as their superior resilience. Plastic bins are also more hygienic in operation and they don’t rust or corrode as metal ones do.
A wheeled plastic bin also makes less noise as it’s walked across any surface compared with a metal one. That’s going to become increasingly important as we move towards an 18 or 24-hour service economy where people sleep at very different times of day.
The Health & Safety Laboratory’s report says that the best bin for the job depends on a range of factors: volumes of waste, recycling systems, terrain, architecture, road layouts and traffic, local feeling on wheeled bins and the time of day of collections.
But safety is never far from the top of operators’ agenda which is why more bins will be made of plastic in the future.
Safety as investment not cost
As a waste operator or a local authority, it’s critical to have a safe workforce and that makes for a happier workforce. Safety shouldn’t be considered as a cost, it’s an investment. That investment pays you back time and time again in the form of fewer absences and compensation pay-outs as well as higher productivity.
Safety’s beyond complying with the letter of the law. It’s more about listening to what staff want or need in order to do their jobs safely. That helps them take ownership of the issue. If operators were asked which bin they’d prefer, they’d ask for plastic bins. There is a strong case for the need for regulation to decide which sizes of bins are best for which applications. Regulation would help choose the safest container for the job in addition to the one which gives the highest commercial yield. By choosing plastic, customers obtain the benefits of the bin being the most commercially viable and the safest option.
Operators prefer plastic
Another interesting point in the HSE report is that the harsh working conditions of waste collection - early starts, lots of walking as well as the manual work involved - lead to fatigue which workers tend to get used to. There are also few real meal breaks. The physical nature of the job means workers are relatively healthy and the unfit (and unwilling) are filtered out early on.
But the waste collectors retiring today may be harder to replace.
The emphasis with school leavers today is to look towards university and professional jobs in the service economy where waste management may not be at the top of the list. Yet another compelling reason why the industry needs to lighten up its act.
The Health & Safety Laboratory’s report can be viewed at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/hsl_pdf/2002/hsl02-21.pdf
Ends
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1 Source: Health & Safety Executive Mapping health and safety standards in the UK waste industry Research Report 240, Crown Copyright 2004
2 Source: Health & Safety Executive 13 June 2005 press statement
Editors’ notes:
NowRecycle.co.uk is a trading style of Plastic Omnium Systems Ltd - a European market leader in waste containment solutions that provides a wide range of waste containers and services including wheeled bins, litter bins, banks, composters and sacks. It is part of the International Plastic Omnium Group, a world leader in contract waste container solutions with worldwide sales of more than £1.8 billion. It employs over 9,000 people in 25 countries, across four continents, in manufacturing and service solutions for the automotive, environment and performance plastic products.
Press Contact: Simon Dutta, N European Marketing Director, Plastic Omnium Urban Systems Ltd
Telephone: 01952 582 583