– Cyrille du Peloux, ESA
The Environmental Services Association said it wants to reduce the rate of reportable accidents by 10% each year by 2007 with particular emphasis on eliminating fatalities.
The ESA is also aiming to reduce cases of work-related ill health in the waste management industry by 20% by 2010.
Focus
The new strategy focuses on four key areas of health and safety – slips, trips and falls; manual handling incidents; workplace transport incidents; and, machinery safety.
The strategy also notes that a large number of accidents during 2002-2004, as reported by ESA members, involved vehicles.
ESA chairman Cyrille du Peloux said: “We hope this Strategy will help waste managers and recycling companies to improve occupational health and safety in the waste management sector and that sharing best practice within the industry will also help reduce accidents.”
Charter
The new industry strategy will see all ESA members signing up to the Accident Reduction Charter, before developing and implementing reviews and regular audits of company health and safety plans.
The strategy is being supported by the Health and Safety Executive, which last month issued a safety alert to the waste industry after nine deaths were reported in eight weeks in late 2005 and early 2006 (see letsrecycle.com story).
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“The Health and Safety Executive welcomes and supports this initiative by ESA to work to improve the sector's health and safety performance,” said Mr James Barrett, head of manufacturing at the HSE.
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