It is with a heavy heart that I am confirming the three fatalities in as many weeks, which were brought to my attention just days after writing my previous article.
Details were very limited at the time due to the sensitive nature of the investigations, but more information has since been released in relation to the incidents below:
03 January 2023 – Amlwch, Angelsey
The incident involved a small waste business, which was processing end of life tyres on a farm site. in Anglesey. Whilst unloading a trailer of tyres, a 26-year-old employee was struck by the tail gate resulting in a severe head injury. The employee was taken to hospital but later died as a result of his injuries.
The incident highlights the significant risks associated with caged tippers and we should be aware of the safety implication relating to tail lifts. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) have since confirmed this is not a technical incident, therefore, sector technical guidance will not be produced or amended.
19 January 2023 – Coventry
A waste collection operative working for Coventry City Council became entangled on the vehicle lifting mechanism and was dragged into the hopper. Tragically, the operative was fatally crushed as a result of the automatic collection cycle in operation.
The HSE plans to engage with manufacturers regarding improvements to vehicle safety. One suggestion could include removal of the automatic lifting cycling, although, this would reduce productivity by up to 30%.
Just this week I’ve been provided with a draft position statement from WISH relating to automatic lifting cycles. Once the statement has been endorsed by the HSE, it will be published accordingly.
The ESA will also be challenging manufacturers around the safety of automatic lifting cycles as part of a review for minimum vehicle safety specifications. Technology has not significantly changed and Microswitches are too easy to ‘wire out’. In addition, they are too sensitive, cheap and often unreliable. There must be a better and safer method available and suggested options could include the use of RADAR, Infrared or emergency stop buttons accessible from within the hopper.
24 January 2023 – Neath Abbey, Neath Port Talbot
A 34-year-old employee working for a third-party contractor was fatality crushed during a vehicle repair at a waste site. The employee was found fatally wounded after being crushed beneath the forks after being called to the site to repair the vehicle. The employee was a hydraulics engineer from outside the sector but because the incident occurred on a waste site, the HSE have treated the incident as a waste sector fatality. There were no apparent witnesses to the incident, therefore, the root cause is still to be determined.
