'Dustcart death' figures rising

Safety bosses have issued an alert to the waste and recycling industry after nine people were killed in eight weeks.

In two cases, in Weybridge, Surrey and Wigton, Cumbria, members of the public died after being hit by dustcarts.

In Birmingham, a member of the public was found dead inside a waste paper compactor and a customer died when a crane collapsed in High Ongar, Essex.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said the other five people who died were waste or recycling workers.

WASTE INDUSTRY DEATHS 21 December - Binman hit by car in Bournemouth, Dorset 25 January - Crane collapses on customer at High Ongar scrapyard, Essex 27 January - Bulldozer driver dies on landfill site in Brogborough, Bedfordshire 30 January - Binman run over by his own vehicle in Morpeth, Northumberland 30 January - Member of public run over by reversing bin lorry in Wigton, Cumbria 2 February - Waste picker run over at recycling centre in Hartley-Witney, Hampshire 2 February - Member of public found dead in compacting machine in Birmingham 16 February - Woman aged 86 hit by dustcart in Weybridge, Surrey 21 February - Fork life operator crushed at scrapyard in Lowestoft, Suffolk

HSE principal inspector Paul Harvey said: "The tragedy of these incidents must act as a stimulus for the industry to review its procedures, making sure that vehicle risks are properly controlled. "Using reversing aids such as mirrors, CCTV, detectors and beacons do reduce the risks."

The nine deaths happened in England in the eight weeks from 21 December 2005.

The workers who died were two binmen, a fork lift driver, a bulldozer driver and a waste picker.

The HSE said the waste and recycling industry had an incident rate four to five times the national average - approximately 2,500 incidents per 100,000 workers per year.

"Wherever possible, pedestrians and vehicles should be segregated," Mr Harvey told operators.

He also said reversing assistants should be provided to help drivers and warn pedestrians when vehicles were operating in public areas.