Deaths among refuse workers have increased by 50% according to the latest HSE figures – at the same time staff face 1,000 instances of dangerous driving every single day, GMB union has revealed. At least 12 people died in the waste sector last year – up from eight the year before. This figure does not include asbestos-related illness, suicide, or people killed because of a workplace activity so the figure is likely to be much higher.
…refuse workers are literally risking their lives coming into work each day – it’s one of the most dangerous jobs you can do.
Workers in the sector face many hazards but one of the most worrying is that a massive 360,000 incidents of dangerous or reckless driving are reported by refuse workers every year.
Video footage released by Biffa shows refuse workers diving for cover as reckless drivers mount pavements, kerbs and grass verges to get round bin lorries making rubbish collections. The average earnings of the UK’s refuse workers is just over £19,000 a year – and has plummeted 7.4 per cent in real terms since 2011.
“We all rely on refuse collections to keep our cities, towns and villages clean and safe,” said Tim Roache, GMB general secretary. “But refuse workers are literally risking their lives coming into work each day – it’s one of the most dangerous jobs you can do.”
