Waste and Recycling Businesses – HSE inspections without prior notice

25th October 2017

The recent launch of The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) sector plans, has brought about a focus on the waste and recycling industry as a priority sector. The HSE’s programme of proactive inspections has been designed to review health and safety standards in waste and recycling businesses across the country, as the industry has a statistically higher rate of workplace injury and workplace ill health than other sectors.

Within the sector, in the last five years – 39 workers and 11 members of the public have been killed as a result of work activity.  The main causes of fatalities are recorded as: being struck by moving vehicles; coming into contact with moving machinery or being injured by something collapsing or overturning.  In all of these types of situations, the HSE maintains that any incident can be prevented if an organisation has proper risk management in place.

The HSE has reported that unannounced inspections will now take place across the country at waste and recycling businesses, and will ensure that measures are being taken by those who are responsible for the protection of workers and employers to keep them safe.  The HSE will use enforcement to bring about necessary improvements, and they strongly encourage individuals working in the industry to keep their knowledge of HSE advice and guidance up to date.

The S2 Partnership provides a range of Health & Safety consultancy & training services and software, which have been designed to manage the health & safety requirements of all types of organisations in the UK and abroad. The S2 Partnership provides effective health & safety management systems, risk assessments, auditing, training and competent support.  We provide practical and commercially-aware advice to ensure risk is identified and managed proactively.  Please contact us to find out more about how we can assist you and your business.