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A dangerous business
23-SEP-2005

Health and safety issues for waste management operations

Getting knocked down by vehicles, crushed by tippers bowling over, infected with hepatitis … these are just a few of the potential hazards faced by waste workers. Owners and operators of waste sites can do much to reduce these risks.

Waste management is one of the more dangerous industrial activities. According to a recent study by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE),¹ the accident rate for the UK waste industry is an estimated 2500 per 100,000 workers – that is, more than four times the national rate. The same report estimated that the accident rate for fatalities was 10 per 100,000 workers – alarmingly more than 10 times the national rate – and the major injury accident rate was more than three times the national rate at 330 per 100,000 workers. Although these data relate to 2001–2002, they replicate those for the previous five years with only a very slight decline in the number of incidents recorded. But even if this decline continued, the waste industry’s record remains poor.

Statistics also show that most accidents occur during waste collection, with significant numbers also occurring during loading/unloading and on-site transfer activities. Perhaps more surprisingly – in view of the difficult circumstances that often exist at landfill sites – landfill activities are not a significant contributor to the number of wasterelated accidents. However, landfills can be dangerous places of work, and landfill operators must remain as vigilant as the rest of the waste management industry.

Waste management sites are inherently busy places with high volumes of traffic, often working in confined conditions. There will be peaks and troughs in the traffic flow to reflect the waste collection rounds. The waste itself can pose particular threats (such as sharp objects). For landfills, if not managed correctly, waste degradation products such as landfill gas and leachate will pose their own particular threat. From a health perspective, there is the potential for disease such as hepatitis and leptospirosis (Weils Disease) to be carried by rats. Site users and visitors are often unaware of the potential dangers and can become a danger to themselves and others.

‘The waste industry’s record on safety remains poor’

In March 2000, the Florida Center for Solid and Hazardous Waste Management reported that the injury rates for municipal solid waste (MSW) workers in Florida and Denmark were six to seven times greater than those for the general workforce. In addition, the Florida researchers found MSW collection to be one of the most hazardous occupations. According to Danish research highlighted by the Florida study, MSW workers in Denmark face a 50% higher illness rate, with infectious diseases being six times that of other workers.²

Refuse collectors working in the US were identified as having the most dangerous jobs in the country between 1992 and 1997, according to a study published in 1999.³ The statistics show 39 fatalities to refuse collectors, 17 to truck drivers and six to labourers.

REPORTING ACCIDENTS IN THE UK

The recent HSE study¹ shows that fatalities and serious injuries do occur and, compared with other UK industries, they are not as rare as many would like to believe. The waste industry is renowned for not providing good statistics, and accident reporting is no exception.

For many years, site operators in the UK have been reluctant to report openly when accidents do occur. Unfortunately, it is only when a serious event occurs – such as a fatality – that the attendant publicity makes the wider waste industry aware of a potential danger. This apparent secrecy is unfortunate – as the more that can be learnt from incidents, and particularly from those that are considered ‘near misses’, the safer the waste industry will become.

In an effort to improve reporting and to promote the wider dissemination of safety statistics related to waste management, the Environmental Services Association (ESA) agreed in July 2004 to a joint reporting initiative with HSE. Both organizations have entered into an Accident Reduction Charter,⁴ which has been incorporated into the ESA’s code of conduct, making it binding for members to comply.

TRAFFIC

Perhaps the greatest threat to the health and safety of employees, site users and visitors/members of the public is posed by traffic and equipment – whether it’s on the street, in a transfer station or at a landfill site.

The statistics show that people are most vulnerable when the waste is being collected. To avoid accidents when collecting waste, operators need to be:

• vigilant and particularly aware of other road users
• highly visible and wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
• fully aware of the dangers that exist if the equipment is used inappropriately.

Riding on the steps from one pick-up location to another is not the way to travel. It might take longer to walk on a pavement/sidewalk or to jump into the cab, but these are the only safe ways of progressing along the collection route.

Transfer stations are often compact areas where space is at a premium. This means that the manoeuvring of vehicles and plant can be problematic. The visibility from on-site plant – and even those equipped with rear-facing, closedcircuit television (CCTV) cameras – is limited, making the risk of an accident high. Floors are often wet and greasy – which can reduce vehicles’ braking efficiency. The following rules will help to ensure safety:

• Keep vehicles and pedestrians well segregated where possible.
• Implement traffic controls and defined vehicle routing where possible. One-way traffic and traffic light control is preferable.
• Operatives working in the tipping hall need to make themselves highly visible by wearing fluorescent jackets or vests and the desired PPE.
• Where possible, keep unloading and loading operations separate in order to reduce the potential for accidents involving on-site plant.

Although there is a low incidence of accidents on landfill sites, if not managed correctly, many potential sources of danger exist. Weather conditions, the terrain and the large variety of different disposal vehicles and on-site plants all have their own inherent potential problems.

Disposal vehicles range from the smallest of pick-up trucks through to the largest of articulated tippers; only some of which will have ejection equipment. There will be mini skip loaders, skip loaders, roll-on/roll-off vehicles, refuse freighters, front- and rear-end loaders as well as rigid tippers, to name but a few. All have their own tipping requirements, and failure to recognize these differences may lead to accidents or may result in near misses.

Site operators in the UK have been reluctant to report accidents openly

Articulated tippers pose particular problems. When the trailer body is raised, uneven ground and uneven loads can result in the inversion of the whole vehicle. The raised trailer body can act as a sail in windy conditions, which may cause the trailer to be bowled over. If tipping is allowed under windy conditions, it is important to ensure that the tipping vehicle faces upwind or downwind. If this is not possible, then tipping should not be permitted. Loads can become stuck and it is not unheard of for drivers to try and discharge the load by making sudden braking and accelerating manoeuvres; again, the sudden surging of the waste may make the vehicle unstable.

As well as vehicles delivering waste to the landfill, a cocktail of heavy plant is at work on the site, for either operational reasons or site engineering. There will be steelwheeled compactors, tracked loading shovels, dump trucks, 360° excavators, dozers, motorized earthmovers and graders. All have their own particular safety issues. They are big. They do not stop easily, and both visibility and manoeuvrability are poor. All such plant should be fitted with rear-facing CCTV cameras, reversing bleepers or messages and warning lamps. Like the braking performance and the general well-being of plant, these devices should be checked daily. Defects should be reported and remedied before the plant is used.

Just because a warning light has never been triggered is not a good enough reason for not replacing it when it has failed. The one occasion when it would have been triggered will occur after it is broken – possibly resulting in the unfortunate accident that the warning system was designed to prevent.

At both transfer stations and landfill sites, pedestrians should be kept out of the operational area unless specific arrangements have been made to accommodate them. Casual visitors should be kept well away from all operational areas.

Drivers of vehicles getting out to release the tipping mechanism should be encouraged to:

• keep close to their vehicles
• not to wander around the site
• dress appropriately with hard hats, protective footwear and high-visibility clothing.

ABOVE LEFT Protective physical guards should be installed around moving machinery parts at materials recovery facilities ABOVE RIGHT Articulated tippers face the danger of being inverted when the trailer body is raised. PHOTO: ISWA WORKING GROUP FOR SANITARY LANDFILL

HEALTH ASPECTS

Waste workers are at risk of being exposed to diseases such as hepatitis. Personal hygiene is of the utmost importance to combat such risks. The use of personal protection (such as gloves) alone is not enough – washing hands before eating or smoking is essential. Food should not be consumed in the immediate workplace, but in rooms provided for the purpose.

Vaccination of workers against hepatitis is advisable. In addition, waste workers should tell their doctors about the risks associated with their work as it is possible, for example, to confuse the symptoms of leptospirosis with those of influenza. Incorrect diagnosis at an early stage of illness could prove fatal. Good pest control will help to minimize the potential risk of leptospirosis, but this risk will remain as not even a good pest control programme will totally eradicate the presence of ratborne diseases. The health risks posed by microorganisms and dusts can be reduced by wearing specified facemasks.

In developing countries, scavengers on landfills are particularly at risk (see box below) as they are not equipped or prepared for the health and safety implications of their presence on the landfill.

SITE SECURITY

The potential dangers of waste management activities make the maintenance of site security essential. The site itself should be fenced securely to prevent unauthorized access, and access gates should be fastened securely and locked at the end of the working day. Health and safety requirements apply to everyone – even those entering the facility illegally.

Open excavations need to be fenced and covered, and warning signs erected. Covering alone is not sufficient, as covers are prone to break or collapse if walked upon. Water areas need to be fenced and equipped with warning signs and lifebelts. Regular inspection is essential to ensure that preventative or control measures will remain in place until the hazard no longer exists.

Waste screening is also extremely important as the dangers posed to site staff from potentially hazardous materials could lead to serious consequences. If encountered inadvertently, clinical waste with sharps and pathological contamination could lead to hepatitis infection.

Potential health and safety risks faced by scavengers on landfills Road traffic accidents espiratory disorders dust smoke inhalation toxic and potentially hazardous vapours disease leptospirosis hepatitis gastric needle stick injuries falls into underground caverns formed from burning waste slips, trips and falls

Transfer stations and materials recovery facilities all have the potential to cause harm if not kept secure. Protective physical guards should be installed around moving machinery parts and kept in place whenever the machines are operational. Waste transfer pits should be fitted with guardrails to prevent people from falling into them.

Static plant should be fitted with isolation switches to enable it to be totally isolated at the end of the working day. Failure to do so could result in intruders starting up the equipment and harming themselves. Furthermore, the ability to isolate the static plant will ensure that only those who are familiar with its operation will be in a position to start it up and use it – and then only when it is safe to do so.

TRAINING

Safety training is essential for site users, employees, emergency response teams, regulators and engineers. Employees include the weighbridge staff, plant and equipment operators, labourers, administration staff, maintenance providers, technicians and even the landfill banksman. All staff should be given the level of training commensurate with the degree of risk to which they are exposed in relation to a particular hazard or hazards.

It is also important that a number of staff members are trained in the administration of first aid and to ensure that a first-aid staff is always present during operational hours. Although not essential, it is advisable to have staff trained in the use of cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Staff need to be trained to recognize potentially hazardous materials and to know what to do when they are identified. It must be made abundantly clear to everyone that, unless they are trained to handle such materials, they must leave the materials to those that are. Doing nothing more than isolating the potentially hazardous waste will probably be all that is required as a first action.

By its very nature, waste is potentially flammable. Thus everyone needs to be trained in fire safety. Fire drills are an essential part of any training programme. Landfill fires can be particularly dangerous as they are often below ground, resulting in caverns being formed beneath the surface and making it susceptible to collapse. Staff should be made aware of these eventualities and be trained to deal with them without taking risks.

Waste is potentially flammable, so everyone needs to be trained in fire safety

Having trained your staff, it is also appropriate to ensure that the emergency services are familiar with the particular environment they might encounter when visiting a particular waste management operation. For example, the fire service and others need to be aware that they may encounter landfill gas when they visit a landfill site, and that it may be explosive when it accumulates in confined spaces. All of this is very familiar to those in the waste industry but, I suspect, less so to outsiders.

All those who have to enter confined spaces, for whatever reason, need to be familiar with:

• the potential dangers
• the appropriate safety measures to be taken
• the use and operation of personal monitoring equipment.

Those required to use breathing apparatus should be trained in its use as well as its maintenance. Regular refresher training is essential. The maintenance of emergency equipment is of paramount importance, as poorly maintained equipment may fail and introduce additional unnecessary dangers.

Whether the waste is received in the reception hall of a transfer station or at the tipping face of a landfill, operatives need to be trained to recognize the potential for danger. As well as the potential for finding hazardous waste, there is an increasing risk of finding medical waste disposed of inappropriately in the waste stream. Training in its identification and how to deal with it is as important as it is for potentially hazardous waste. Although medical waste is usually incinerated, it can inadvertently find its way to waste management activities. For example, drug users may discard unprotected sharps in general waste and with little or no thought for those who might be required to handle it. The danger of puncture wounds is self-apparent, but there is the added danger of HIV and hepatitis to contend with.

Training can and will reduce the number of injuries and accidents. It will help to enhance employees professionally and to engender pride in what they do. An improved safety record will also enhance the waste industry’s public image.

Written procedures are only useful if they are read and understood

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Written policies and procedures are essential, but they are only useful if they are read and understood. They should be simple documents that can be easily read and understood, with text supplemented by pictures. However, ‘reading’ them is not enough on its own. The training should be supported by briefings and regular retraining. For example, regular ‘toolbox’ talks for employees can be an effective way of delivering health and safety training.

There should be procedures to cover:

• the maintenance of equipment and safety warning devices
• traffic management
• how to deal with unacceptable wastes
• emergency response.

Site users should be made aware of, and be familiar with, all such procedures. Procedures are necessary for events such as fire, unusual weather, leachate breakouts at landfill sites, potential dangers from landfill gas and spillage of fuels and hazardous materials. Such procedures and policies should be compiled with the co-operation of the emergency response services (fire, ambulance and rescue).

Issue site rules and check that they are available. If not, re-issue them. In many cases, it will be necessary to carry out an induction session with site users to allow them time to familiarize themselves with the working environment. Never accept the excuse that there is ‘no time’ to participate in such inductions. If the site user cannot make the time, then they should not be allowed to enter the facility.

Weighbridge staff are often the first point of contact and can be trained to undertake the inductions and issue essential documentation to new site users. It is good practice to re-issue documentation on a regular basis as a reminder and to avoid complacency. These regular reminders also serve to emphasize the management’s commitment to health and safety.

EQUIPMENT NEEDS

Personal protective clothing and equipment are necessary for both operatives and site users. It is essential to wear protective footwear with reinforced toe caps and steel midsoles with ankle support. This same standard of protection is vital for both dry and wet operations.

Issue site rules and check that they are available. If not, re-issue them

Safety helmets or hard hats are necessary protection, particularly where vehicles are discharging their loads, as operatives can be at risk from falling objects. Similarly, hard hats must be worn when working around or under conveyor belts or waste-picking stations. Site users are equally at risk from falling debris when they are opening skip doors or lorry backs.

Brightly coloured overalls and fluorescent jackets or vests are essential – particularly in areas with high traffic volumes. It is much better to be seen than not be seen – particularly when operations take place in darkness or in poor visibility (such as due to inclement weather). Refuse collections usually start very early in the morning – or, in some countries, overnight – so the need to be seen becomes even more critical.

Glove, hearing and eye protection may be necessary under certain circumstances. For example, glove and eye protection are necessary when handling chemicals or fuels. Hearing protection is necessary when working in noisy environments such as power generation plants, in vehicle cabs where acoustic protection is not provided, or inside buildings where waste is being sorted mechanically.

Communications and the ability to communicate are an important aspect to ensuring a safe working environment. Radios and ‘walkie talkies’ should be used to warn operatives of any unusual circumstances and to summon assistance as necessary. Air horns and whistles should be used to alert site users to potential dangers. Take care that such devices are not used as playthings, as this can lead to their being disregarded when they really are warning of potential dangers. It is essential that operational procedures for the use of such equipment are in place, and that all site users are fully familiar with their application.

Signage is another way of conveying health and safety messages. However, a proliferation of signs can reduce their impact. In some instances, it may be necessary to have bilingual signs. But be careful because literal translations do not always have the same meaning. A few hints on signage:

• Only use the signage that is required at a particular location.
• Remember that waste facilities are often dusty. Thus it is vital to keep signs clean so that they can be read at all times.
• Replace damaged signs immediately.

ABOVE LEFT Although not a significant contributor to waste-related accidents, landfill operations, if not done properly, can still cause serious accidents. PHOTO: ISWA WORKING GROUP FOR SANITARY LANDFILL ABOVE RIGHT Workers at materials recovery facilities face the constant danger of being injured by moving machinery parts

PLANNING AND PREVENTION

Accidents are not planned events, but plans can be prepared in advance to manage them should they occur. Because it is possible to anticipate the type of incidents that might need to be dealt with, plans can be written to address particular incidents.

Plans should demonstrate how to avoid certain situations and then provide a detailed description of how to deal with them should they occur. Unfortunately, a lot of accidents are caused through operator error, but even these can be managed with proper planning. Plans should recognize the potential hazards that will exist.

• Everyone should be made fully aware of the plans, and training exercises should be commonplace. Where the emergency services are essential components of the plan, they should be party to the training exercise.
• Set up a system of permits to work where there are particular dangers, such as working in confined spaces or with electrical equipment.
• Make sure systems for lockout are known to everyone when there is a danger that equipment could be switched on with someone still working on a particular component.

IMPROVING THE RECORD

The HSE study highlights the poor safety record of waste management operations in the UK.1 Based on the limited data available from the US and Denmark, it is likely that the UK position could be replicated worldwide. However, the records at such facilities are not always as complete as we would expect. It might well be that better statistics specific to the waste industry would show that its accident record is not as bad as was found. Even if this were the case, however, it is unlikely that the waste industry could demonstrate that it was no worse than other industries.

With good procedures and improved worker awareness, there is every chance that the industry’s record will improve. Procedures need to be clear, unambiguous and easily understood. For example, the use of pictures and diagrams can often portray a better message than words alone.

Training and familiarization with the procedures are essential to maintain a safe working environment. ‘Toolbox’ talks are a most useful way of conveying the safety message. Complacency must be avoided at all costs.

Waste management activities can take place in a safe environment, but this requires continuing co-operation from everyone involved. Accidents and incidents can be avoided provided everyone takes responsibility for their own actions and recognizes that their failure to do their particular task safely could have a detrimental impact on others.

Derek Greedy is Principal Waste Management Advisor for the Department of Planning, Transport and Economic Strategy, Warwickshire County Council, UK.
e-mail: derekgreedy@warwickshire.gov.uk

NOTES

1. Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Mapping health and safety standards in the UK waste industry. Research Report RR240. 2004. www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr240.htm.
2. Englehardt, J.D. et al. Assessment of risks to municipal solid waste workers. Final report from research project entitled: ‘Solid Waste Management Health and Safety Risks: Epidemiology and Assessment to Support Risk Reduction’. Florida Center for Solid and Hazardous Waste Management. March 2000. www.eng.miami.edu/~mswrisk/#report.
3. Drudi, D. Job hazards in the waste industry. US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. 1999. See web page www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfar0030.pdf.
4. HSE Press Release C028:04. 8 July 2004. See web page www.hse.gov.uk/press/2004/c04028.htm.

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