Three-Year Initiative To Be Launched

A new programme of inspections to ensure councils are taking full responsibility for health and safety in relation to waste management has been backed by a workplace injury lawyer.

David Urpeth, head of workplace injury and illness at Irwin Mitchell, has suggested that the three-year initiative from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will help to ensure everyone employed in the area is given the protection they deserve.

The programme of inspections is taking place as a follow-up to guidance published in January, which considered the duties that local authorities have in relation to both in-house and contracted services.

According to Urpeth, such a scheme should give workers the reassurance that their safety and welfare in the workplace is taken seriously by employers.

“We deal with a significant number of cases across a range of organisations which demonstrate how vital it is for employers to fully consider the importance of health and safety within the workplace,” he explained.

“Inspections like those planned by the HSE will only serve to ensure that employees have the right levels of protection and prevent any potential incidents from ever occurring.”

According to the HSE, the most common causes of injury in the waste management sector include manual handling injuries, slips and trips.