WISH Working Group:
Creating, Healthier, Safer Workplaces (CHSW)
Wayne Williams
Waste and Recycling Team, HSE
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Terms of Reference
Summit Event February 2013
WISH Blueprint - CHSW one of the 5 pillars
• Communication of best practice sharing and problem solving.
• Consider and give guidance on the health, safety and welfare aspects of
technological developments
• Develop and agree industry standards and guidance on specific health and
safety topics and for specific parts of the industry
• Develop guidance and support on Health Surveillance
(monitoring/screening)
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Group membership
First meeting held June 2013 – initially 10 members.
Now a total of 18 volunteers involved in the 5 current
workstreams:
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Private sector – large and small companies
Public sector – LAs
Consultants
Academia
HSE
The majority of the current membership are new to WISH.
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Current workstreams
Safety
1. Machinery safety
2. Vehicle safety aids
3. Large containers
4. Anaerobic Digestion (AD): Operator Guidance
Health
5. Health Surveillance
Other
6. Noise in kerbside collections (H)
7. Litter picking on the highway (S)
8. Reducing fire risks at waste management sites (S)
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(1) Machinery safety
‘Machinery, moving parts, people and safeguards’
Many items of fixed plant and equipment (machinery) are used on sites to process
materials in the waste industry. The guidance has a metals industry focus but much of
it can be applied across all industry sectors.
Items of fixed plant and equipment (machines) come in many different forms and
types, such as:
• Shredders / Fragmentisers
• Shears / Balers
• Compactors / Guillotines
The document covers 6 main topic areas:
• Hazards
• Risk Assessment
• Safe Guarding from Machinery Hazards
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Management of Isolations
Controls
CE Marking/Statutory
Requirements
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(2) Safety aids on vehicles
A wide range of systems available: this guide provides generic information that may assist in the
understanding and selection of the technologies currently available:
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Seat Belt Monitors
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Mechanical Aids
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Visual Warning – Beacons
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Visual Warning – Electronic Signs
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Audible – Reversing Alarms
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Visual Monitoring – Mirrors
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Visual Monitoring – Cameras
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and
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Obstacle Detection – Ultrasonic Sensors
Obstacle Detection – Radar
RFID Proximity Warning
RFID Vehicle Control
On-board Weighing
Technology Combinations
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:
At present primarily information and signposting
but
there is a potential for further work:
• What systems are most appropriate in the different W&R environments?
• Which systems should be regarded as ‘must have’ and which are ‘nice to have’?
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(3) Large containers
‘Safe and Sound’
Current situation:
• No supporting guidance that relates to the procurement, specification,
construction, maintenance and repair of large waste containers.
• The potential for failure in poorly constructed or maintained large
containers is present during unloading from the vehicle, daily use and
uplift back onto the vehicle.
Next Step:
• Mark Roberts is a representative of a leading container refurbishment
organization, UKCM and he will lead the group. He currently has the has
the active support of Paul Thornber of Veolia and is actively now looking
for further support to develop this initiative..
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(4) Anaerobic Digestion (AD)
There has been a recent proliferation of AD plants of all sizes, and it is felt
that the smaller operators in particularly would benefit from guidance on the
key H&S issues that have to be managed on these plants.
There is increasing concern about the increasing number of significant
incidents associated with AD plants.
As part of the process the group will encourage involvement of all who have
an interest in this technology - operators and the relevant trade bodies.
The guidance will include signposting within the document to indicate where
additional more help can be obtained.
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(5) Health Surveillance
There are potential health implications for workers involved in
waste and recycling – a wide range of different processes and
hence a wide range of associated health issues:
Dermatitis, respiratory illness, occupational cancers, NIHL,
infections (hepatitis, tetanus, zoonoses, BBV),
gastrointestinal, stress related conditions, MSD’s, VWF, effects
of heat & cold.
For each working environment what is the nature and extent of
health surveillance that is required?
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(6, 7 & 8) Other
6. Noise in kerbside collections (H)
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The group has produced draft guidance on:
o choosing suitable hearing protection
o suitable health surveillance
o noise monitoring methodology
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A workshop is planned for February 2015 – manufactures of kerbside sorting vehicles will be
invited. The aim is to bring users and vehicle manufacturers together to trial noise reduction
methods and alternative working methods that could reduce exposure.
7. Litter picking on the highway (S)
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The group has produced draft guidance on:
o The guidance is aimed at those responsible for the design, specification, operation,
management and monitoring of cleansing operations on the highway.
o It will contains advice relating to safe systems of work, including the use of temporary traffic
management arrangements where they are required.
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Feedback received (mainly from LAs) on latest the draft expressed concerns about the scope and
application of safe systems of work. A revised draft is now under preparation.
8. Reducing fire risks at waste management sites (S)
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Guidance published as Waste28 on 20.10.14
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Future structure & workstreams
There are two working groups to cover CHSW activities
this afternoon:
• Creating Safer, Healthier Workplaces
• Creating Safer, Healthier Workplaces
There is the possibility of creating more groups
(particularly for safety initiatives) if we get more active
involvement.
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Summary
A successful and positive start that we want to build on.
Still much to do on safety and health agendas.
We already have a core group of enthusiastic and dedicated
volunteers.
In addition to providing the opportunity to highlight the good
work of the group to date, this event is a rallying call for:
• New ideas for future workstreams
• New members - a broad church with room for many more
And finally ………
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