The survey can be filled in here, and will be open until 16 October 2026.
The ESA said that the anonymous feedback aims to help operators and stakeholders better understand how people working in recycling and waste treatment view the industry’s approach to health and safety.
ESA Policy Advisor Stephen Freeland commented: “We believe everyone working across the sector is entitled to a healthy, safe and rewarding place to work.
“The underlying culture towards health and safety plays a key role in meeting this ambition, and conducting this biennial survey allows us to take the pulse of the prevailing culture to ensure that it remains in good health.”
Run by research company Snap Surveys, the survey poses nine short statements about health and safety culture, and asks respondents the extent to which they agree with them, covering training, incident reporting, and safety concerns.
Freeland added: “This is the third time that ESA has commissioned the survey and the responses help build a useful picture of the trends towards health and safety across the industry.
“The volume of responses previously has been very good and represents a meaningful sample for the sector, so we are very grateful to respondents and hope to continue that trend this year.”
The last survey, run in July to September 2024, found that 87% of people working in the sector felt safe at work, while more than 90% felt happy to raise health and safety concerns within their organisation if they had any.
The ESA recently released guidance to help waste and recycling operators protect frontline workings during the summer’s heatwaves.
Unlike some countries, the UK has no legal maximum working temperature, meaning responsibility for assessing and managing heat-related risks rests with employers.
The ESA said its new guidance is intended to supplement, rather than replace, existing health and safety management systems, task and site risk assessments, safe systems of work and local emergency plans.
Register for free to comment