Injuries in waste sector drop slightly in 2011/12

Provisional figures published by the HSE today (October 31), show that 465 major injuries were recorded in the waste sector in 2011/12, a slight reduction from 2010/11 when 482 people suffered major injuries. A major injury includes amputations, fractures and burns.

In addition, the number of over three-day injuries incidents which require an injured person to be away from work or unable to do their normal duty for more than three days – saw a reduction from 1,967 in 2010/11 to 1,876 in 2011/12. The HSE added that all non-fatal injuries in the sector saw a 4% decrease, from 2,449 in 2010/11 to 2,341 for 2011/12.

Despite the improvement, the HSE said waste and recycling remains among the higher risk sectors with 398 major injuries per 100,000 employees. The agriculture and construction industries are also deemed high risk sectors with 241 and 172 major injuries per 100,000 employees, respectively.

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Table showing injury statistics for waste and recycling sector

‘Risk’

Commenting on the sectors performance, Graeme Walker, head of HSEs waste and recycling sector, said: Waste and recycling remains one of Britains higher risk industries. It falls to everyone, working within the industry to help to ensure the number of people killed or seriously injured in this sector is reduced.

Britain has one of the best health and safety records in Europe. Though the numbers in 2011/12 are slightly down on last year, there are still too many people failing to return home safely from work in the waste and recycling industry.

Mr Walker added that the HSE will continue to encourage the industry to improve health and safety standards to make sure workplace risks are managed.

Fatalities

The number of fatal injuries in the sector almost halved between 2010/11 and 2011/12 from nine to five (see letsrecycle.com story).

However the waste industry is faring much worse in 2012/13 following a spate of deaths over the summer which saw nine people killed over 12 weeks between June and September 2012 (see letsrecycle.com story).

Industries

Looking at all of Britains industries, including waste and recycling, 22,433 major injuries were reported in 2011/12, a 10% decrease from 2010/11 when 29,944 were reported. In addition, 173 workers were fatally injured, down from 175 the previous year. It is estimated that 1.1 million people said they were suffering from an illness caused or made worse by their work between April 2011 and March 2012.

The HSE said workplace injuries and ill-health, excluding work related cancer, cost society an estimated 13.4 billion in 2010/11.

Chair of the HSE, Judith Hackitt, said: Any reduction in the number of people being injured or made unwell by their jobs should be welcomed. Given the challenging economic conditions which many sectors have faced in recent years it is particularly encouraging to see continued reductions in levels of injury and ill health.