The incident happened during a collection round in the St Paul’s area of the city, when a person was discovered inside a waste container and subsequently entered the collection vehicle.
According to Bristol Waste, crew members became aware of the individual during the collection process and immediately halted the vehicle’s machinery.
Emergency services were called to the scene and the person was safely assisted from the vehicle.
Bristol Waste said the individual did not appear to have suffered any obvious injuries and declined medical assessment from ambulance crews.
The company has launched a full investigation into the incident to establish how it occurred.
Bristol Waste said public and employee safety remained its highest priority and that it would take any necessary action following the outcome of the investigation.
Ricky Gayfer, Director of Operations at Bristol Waste Company, said: “Health and safety is of utmost importance to Bristol Waste and all our people.
“The crews followed their training and procedures and acted quickly – it is thanks to them that this did not end in tragedy.
“It is imperative that people do not seek shelter in bins, and we will be reaching out to relevant organisations in the city to help get this message out.”
The incident follows ongoing warnings from waste operators across the UK about the dangers posed by people sheltering or sleeping in waste containers, particularly during collection rounds.
Waste management company Grundon launched a campaign with homelessness charity Crisis to raise awareness of the life-threatening risks faced by people who seek shelter inside bins in December last year.
The call for vigilance comes as rough sleeping continues to rise and is thought to be up 91% in England since 2021.
Crisis estimated that more than 300,000 people across Great Britain are now experiencing the most severe forms of homelessness.
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