Working with the Health and Safety Executive, the ESA's new Accident Reduction Charter has set targets to reduce the number of accidents reported under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) by 10% each year until 2007, using 2002 as a baseline.
The waste industry trade association's chairman David Riddle said: “The Accident Reduction Charter is a high level commitment by ESA's Members, supported by the Health and Safety Executive, to identify and encourage good practice across the whole industry and to develop guidance where appropriate.”
The initiative follows a HSE report published last month showing that the waste and recycling sector has the worst health and safety rate of any UK industry (see letsrecycle.com story).
Crucial
The HSE research showed that around 4,000 accidents are reported by the waste industry each year. Equating to approximately 2,500 per 100,000 workers, this is nearly five times the national average accident rate. Additionally, the fatal incident rate for the waste sector of 10 in 100,000 is ten times the national average.
Judith Hackitt, health and safety commissioner, said: “It is crucial that sectoral trade associations such as ESA support and encourage the individual companies to improve health and safety performance and spread good practice across the whole sector.”
The new Charter has been incorporated into the ESA's Code of Conduct and is supported by a Health and Safety Action Plan, aimed at helping members reduce accidents. ESA members will now be expected to report annually on the number of employees and the number of accidents in their companies.
Mr Riddle said: “ESA's members are committed to promoting the highest standards across the waste management industry. Protecting the Health and Safety of our workforce is a central component of business activity and we take our responsibilities very seriously.
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