New figures from the HSE show that seven people were killed while working in the waste and recycling sector during 2018/19.
Over the same five year period, 30% of deaths were due to contact with moving machinery, 28% struck by a moving vehicle and 16% struck by a moving/falling object.
Around3.4% of workers in waste sustained a workplace injury, which is statistically “significantly higher” than the rate for workers across All industries (1.8%). This is similar to the rate for Agriculture, forestry and fishing (4.1%) and Construction (2.7%)
The waste sector has a rate of fatal injury around 17 times higher than the national average rate across all industries.
We must all share the responsibility of ensuring everybody is aware of what they need to do to work right by preventing work-related incidents, and making our places of work healthier and safer for everyone.
Martin Temple, HSE chair, said: “Great Britain’s position as one of the safest places to work should be a point of pride for us all, but these figures show there is still much to be done to ensure workers go home both healthy and safe.
“These [UK] figures should highlight to us all the vital importance of managing risk and promoting behaviours to improve the standard of good health and safety practice in the workplace.
“We must all share the responsibility of ensuring everybody is aware of what they need to do to work right by preventing work-related incidents, and making our places of work healthier and safer for everyone.”
Key figures for Great Britain
In 2018/19 an estimated 1.4 million workers were suffering from an illness they believed was caused or made worse by their work and 581,000 workers sustained a non-fatal injury at work.
However, the risk of injury and work-related illness varies across industry, being more likely in some industries than others.
This is broadly similar to the annual average number of 9 fatalities over the last five years (2014/15-2018/19).
- 1.4 million working people suffering from a work-related illness
- 2,526 mesothelioma deaths due to past asbestos exposures (2017)
- 147 workers killed at work (2018/19)
- 581,000 injuries occurred at work according to the Labour Force Survey
- 69,208 injuries to employees reported under RIDDOR
- 28.2 million working days lost due to work-related illness and workplace injury
- £15 billion estimated cost of injuries and ill health from current working conditions (2017/18)
