Four waste sector deaths in 2013/14

There were four fatal injuries to workers in the waste and recycling industry between April 2013 and March 2014, according to figures released by the Health & Safety Executive.

While only provisional, this latest fatality figure is significantly lower than the 10 worker fatalities in the waste and recycling sector officially recorded by HSE for the comparable previous year.

The latest figure, released yesterday (July 2) is also lower than the average count of seven fatalities over the last five years, while the 2013/14 rate of 3.33 deaths per 100,000 compares to an average fatality rate of 5.48.

Despite the 10 worker fatalities in 2012/13, HSEs recently-appointed head of waste Rick Brunt told letsrecycle.com in March that there would be no change in policy for the sector (see letsrecycle.com story).

There was also one death to a member of the public in the waste and recycling sector last year, the figures reveal. In 2012/13, there were four fatal injuries to members of the public.

The release of figures for 2013/14 come in the wake of an incident at waste wood company R Plevin & Sons Hazlehead recovery site in Yorkshire on Monday this week, which resulted in the death of a 48-year-old male employee of the company. The incident is now being investigated by the HSE and South Yorkshire Police (see letsrecycle.com story).

Fatalities in the waste and recycling industry since 2008

World class

The waste sector figures were released today alongside record-low fatality rates for the UK industry as a whole, prompting the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) to describe Britains performance in health and safety as world class.

Judith Hackitt, HSE chair, said: The release of the annual statistics always leads to mixed emotions. Sadness for the loss of 133 lives and sympathy for their families, friends and workmates, but also a sense of encouragement that we continue to make progress in reducing the toll of suffering.

Whilst these are only provisional figures, they confirm Britains performance in health and safety as world class. For the last eight years we have consistently recorded one of the lowest rates of fatal injuries to workers among the leading industrial nations in Europe.

Fatalities across all sectors in the UK as a whole fell to the lowest annual rate on record, with 133 worker deaths in 2013/14 compared to 150 overall fatalities the previous year.

Minister for Health and Safety, Mike Penning, said: Any death at work is a death too many. But these statistics show that workplaces are getting safer. The Health and Safety Executive do an excellent job in making sure each and every one of us can go out to do an honest day’s work in the knowledge that our safety is being taken seriously.

Provisional

Fatal injury data for 2013/14 released today is provisional, with the finalised figures expected in July 2015 following any necessary adjustments arising from investigations, in which new facts can emerge about whether the accident was work-related, according to HSE.

HSE explained: The delay of a year in finalising the figures allows for such matters to be fully resolved in the light of formal interviews with all relevant witnesses, forensic investigation and coroners rulings.

HSE will launch an asbestos campaign in Autumn this year that aims to raise awareness and help at-risk workers deal more safely with the substance.