This represents almost a 50% decrease on 2010/11 which saw nine people in the industry fatally injured (see letsrecycle.com story).
The latest provisional figures represent an average death rate of 4.1 per 100,000 workers down from 8.4 per 100,000 in 2010/11.
Failures
Commenting on the figures, Judith Hackitt, HSE chair, said: Britain continues to have one of the lowest levels of workplace fatal injuries in Europe, part of a long term downward trend.
But we must not forget that these are lives cut short, not statistics – every single one of these deaths will have caused terrible grief and anguish for family and friends as well as workmates and colleagues. This is the real tragedy of health and safety failures lives cut short and loved ones lost.
She added: We want employers to focus on the real risks that continue to cause death and serious injury. HSE is working very hard to make it easier for people to understand what they need to do and to focus on the real priorities. Protecting people from death and serious injury at work should be at the heart of what we all do.
Fatalities
The deaths occurred between October 2011 and January 2012 (see letsrecycle.com story). The first fatality of 2011/12 occurred on October 12 when employee of European Metal Recycling, William Ward, 55, died when the side of a steel barge he was dismantling fell on him.
The second happened on November 14, when Susan Brooks, 56, employee of Armstrong’s Environmental Services Limited was struck by a vehicle as she crossed the yard.
On December 12 Malcolm Kennedy, 71, employee of Alex Corrie Skip Hire died at its unit at Kilmarnock, Scotland when a large steel gate fell on him.
Two days later on December 14, Jason Griffin, 31, employee of James Environmental Management Limited died at its premises in Radlett after becoming trapped in the feed mechanism of a polystyrene compactor.
The final fatality of 2011/12 was on January 5 when Mark Nyland, 34, employee of Fred Sherwood & Sons Transport Ltd died at a landfill site when he was crushed between his HGV and a reversing caterpillar-tracked vehicle.
Averages
The latest figures remain below the average for the past five years which sits at six deaths. Over this period of time the number of fatal injuries in the waste and recycling sector has been:
- 2011/12 5 workers died
- 2010/11 9 workers died
- 2009/10 3 workers died
- 2008/09 10 workers died
- 2007/08 6 workers died
The figures for 2011/12 are provisional and will be finalised by the HSE in July 2013 following any necessary adjustments arising from investigations, in which new facts can emerge about whether the incidents were work-related. The HSE said 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.
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The rate of fatal injuries in the waste and recycling industry in 2011/12 sits behind that of the construction industry, which has a rate of 2.3 deaths per 100,000 workers. 49 people in the construction industry died last year.
In comparison the agricultural industry recorded a rate of 9.7 deaths per 100,000 workers and 33 fatal injuries in 2011/12.
Overall across all industries in the UK the number of fatally injured workers remains largely unchanged as 173 workers were killed in 2011/12, down 2 from 2010/11.
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