Collecting waste and recyclables

Generally, it is the local authority that has responsibility for municipal waste and recycling collections in any particular area. That service may be provided directly by the local authority or contracted to a private contractor.

In either case it is the local authority and not HSE that should be the first point of contact relating to non-health and safety issues that arise from collecting activities (such as bins missed during the collections).

Collection activities are responsible for a large majority of the accidents within the industry.

Main hazards in collecting waste and recyclables

Key areas of concern include:

As well as the above risks to workers, it is not uncommon for people to shelter or sleep in larger commercial bins and there have been instances of fatalities or near misses where these bins have been emptied into refuse collection vehicles.

Some straightforward steps can be taken by waste collection businesses to ensure people are identified before bins are emptied and these are described in HSE guidance on preventing people getting into large waste and recycling bins.

Municipal and commercial collections

Municipal household and commercial collections activities cover the collection of residual waste, green waste and recyclables. The main causes of accidents include:

  • manual handling (musculoskeletal disorders)
  • slips and trips
  • being hit by a moving, flying or falling object
  • falls
  • being hit by a moving vehicle (though fewer in number, these are the most serious  – there is guidance on our transport safety page)
  • contact with moving machinery
  • needlestick/sharp injuries

Selecting a collection system – striking the balance

Local authorities, private sector and community sector organisations have many factors to consider when selecting the most appropriate collection, transfer or treatment systems for waste and recyclables, for example:

  • environmental controls
  • meeting landfill diversion targets
  • delivering value for money service
  • ensuring the health and safety of those affected by the industry

Organisations need to consider all these factors and balance them.

Comprehensive risk assessment is essential to ensure services are delivered with risks controlled so far as is reasonably practicable. There is guidance on managing risks and risk assessment at work.

When assessing the risks and evaluating the various options available it is essential that all hazards are identified and evaluated (musculoskeletal injury, cuts, slips and trips, transport etc).

Any assessment process may also need to consider the hazards and level of risk presented across the entire process, from collection to final re-use, recycling and disposal. This may allow the consequential effects of each step in the process to be accounted for. For example, a particular collection system may result in greater or less manual handling in subsequent processes.

Procuring waste services

All local authorities are responsible for the collection and disposal of waste. HSE has guidance on the procurement and management of waste services.

Local authorities have a significant influence on how the service will ultimately be delivered whether it is carried out in-house or contracted out. The guidance is applicable to procurement of all activities associated with waste services but is of particular relevance to collection activities.

Design and maintenance issues

Manufacturers, designers and users should consider the following issues which can impact upon health and safety when carrying out collection activities:

  • ergonomic design of waste materials receptacles
  • design of vehicles and systems of work used for 'kerbside sorting'
  • maintenance of lifting points on skips, 'bottle banks' and similar

Find out more

HSE and the Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum (WISH) have produced a large body of guidance and illustrations of best practice to help organisations manage the risks associated with collection activities. The following HSE guidance is of most relevance to municipal and commercial collections.

Skip hire

Workplace transport accidents are one of the most common causes of serious accidents and fatalities in the industry. Significant among them are accidents that related to transport-related lifting operations.

Lifting operations typically involve hoists fitted to refuse collection vehicles, lifting equipment fitted to skip loaders, lifting equipment on hookloader vehicles, skips and other containers.

There are no national standards for the manufacture of skips and containers. However, a number of commonly used industry standards exist which are produced by and available from the Container Handling Equipment Manufacturers Association (CHEM).

You can find guidance on skip and container safety in the WISH guidance on larger waste containers. It does not aim to be comprehensive but gives examples of good practice within the industry. The guidance is for designers/manufacturers, buyers, users and maintenance staff who work with skips and containers used with skip loader and hookloader vehicles.

Further advice is available on the following related topics:

Stacking of skips

Stacking loaded skips on top of each other on vehicles causes stability problems and is regarded by the industry and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) as bad practice. If encountered on the highway, these vehicles are likely to be subject to enforcement action by DVSA. In addition, because of stability and accessibility issues, you should not stack loaded skips on top of each other in yards or waste transfer stations.

Transporting stacked empty skips should involve a load-securing assessment. Empty skips stacked 3 high or more will be regarded by DVSA a higher risk if they are determined to be unsuitably stacked or not properly secured. Again, if encountered on the highway, vehicles in this condition are likely to be subject to enforcement action by the agency.

You can find more information in the DVSA Code of Practice Securing loads on HGVs and goods vehicles (on GOV.UK).

When empty skips are stored in yards or transfer stations, the height of the stack should be determined by its stability. Issues such as ground conditions, accessibility for the skip loader and safe access for an operative to attach and detach chains should be taken into account.

Safety alerts

You can find previous safety alerts about skips in HSE’s safety alerts and notices archive.

Waste transfer

Workplace transport accidents relating to traffic movements are one of the most common causes of serious accidents and fatalities in the waste management industry. By the very nature of operations carried out at a waste transfer station, it is important that workplace transport activities are adequately controlled.

There is general WISH guidance on larger waste containers, which is aimed at facility managers, their supervisory staff, and safety professionals within waste management companies.

In addition, there is specific HSE guidance relating to hand sorting of recyclables ('totting') with vehicle assistance. This provides advice on how to eliminate or reduce the risk of injuries or fatalities caused by mobile plant (particularly mechanical shovels) striking pedestrians (such as totters). It also includes a self-audit checklist for those carrying out hand totting, tatting or picking from floor activities, which can help you assess the risks at your premises.

Find out more

Transport safety in waste and recycling

WISH guidance on reducing fire risk at waste management sites

Civic amenity/bring sites and household waste and recycling centres

Civic amenity or bring sites (such as bottle, clothing and paper banks in public places) and household waste and recycling centres (dealing with a wider range of recyclables) pose certain risks to staff and members of the public.

Major injury risks include:

The main occupational ill-health risks are:

Help to control risks on your site by:

  • selecting and maintaining suitable equipment, especially vehicles and materials handling equipment
  • adopting a safe site layout and traffic control measures
  • designing and maintaining safe operating procedures
  • organising competency training for employees
  • providing visitors with adequate supervision, information and instruction

Hazardous waste

Waste is considered 'hazardous' under environmental legislation when it contains substances or has properties that might make it harmful to human health or the environment. This does not necessarily mean it is an immediate risk to human health, although some waste can be.

The Environment Agency's (EA’s) interpretation of the definition and classification of hazardous waste can be found in their guidance Classify different types of waste: your legal responsibilities (on GOV.UK). Waste producers must ensure their waste is classified in accordance with that EA technical guidance and basic characterisation of waste at an early stage is essential.

Many wastes are newly classified as 'hazardous' and some companies will find themselves dealing with hazardous consignments for the first time.

Find out more

Preventing ill health in waste and recycling

Hygiene facilities on waste and recycling vehicles

WISH guidance on safe operation of waste and recycling collection vehicles

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Updated 2025-12-03