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Gary Doolan with one of the £180,000 vehicles which he says raise health and safety issues |
Workers find £2m dustcarts ‘too high to throw bags into’
New fleet blamed for slower collections and rubbish left on streets
A NEW £2 million fleet of dustcarts has been branded a health and safety hazard by trade unionists.
The 10 vehicles, bought to speed up rubbish collections, have slowed things down, according to GMB officials this week. They say the vehicles, which cost £180,000 each, are too high at the back for dustmen to throw bin bags in without suffering repetitive strain injury.
Instead, the bags have to be placed in a wheelie bin on a lift at the back of the vehicle, which workers say takes more time.
The problems emerged after complaints by residents in Camden Road, Holloway, that waste food was being left on streets after bin collections.
Union officials maintain that, because of the problems with the new vehicles, workers do not have the time to clean up after them.
Last week, the Tribune reported claims that between 60 and 100 refuse workers a year are injured owing to an increasing workload and lack of training with new machinery.
GMB union branch secretary Gary Doolan, who is also a Labour councillor, said: “If they had taken safety reps or employees with them when they decided to buy the 10 vehicles they would have been advised to purchase something more worker-friendly.
“The back is too high, which means you have to stand on tip-toes and stretch to throw the bin bags in. The vehicles breach health and safety guidelines. The old ones had an opening which was chest high and obviously more sensible and a lot easier to use.
“Remember, these employees are throwing bags in the back for hours on end. It is very repetitive and can pose a strain on the shoulders, arms and back.
“If they had consulted us before buying the vehicles we would have explained all this.”
He added that the lorries could have been manufactured to meet the workers’ requirements. “You can tell the manufacturers what size and dimensions you want,” he said.
Cllr Doolan said that domestic refuse is collected from 1,200 homes every week, but one round has already been cut and added to another gang’s duties. That is in addition to the “increasing workload” caused by new housing developments and government recycling targets.
He believes that, by introducing wheelie bins in place of bin bags, spillages could be reduced.
Cllr Doolan said: “Bag and bin collection is a thing of the past. Wheelie bins are used in many authorities in London these days and are cleaner and safer. You don’t have foxes or rats pulling the bags apart.”
Retired property manager Pat Manning, who complained about spilt food left by dustmen, believes wheelie bins would be an improvement.
“It would make sense,” said Ms Manning, who lives in Camden Road.
“This week we found potatoes, cat litter, globs of fat, egg shells and old CDs lying on the pavement. It wasn’t very pleasant.
“It encourages vermin, looks nasty and we, the residents, have to clean up.”
A spokesman for private cleaning contractor ICSL (Enterprise) said the vehicles were all fully European Union compliant and did not pose a health and safety risk.
“These same vehicles are used throughout the country,” he added.
“We don’t believe they are a problem for the men.
“There is also an option to use a wheelie bin on the back for the bags but there is no suggestion this slows the service down.
“As for wheelie bins, that’s an Islington Council decision. We’re not in a position to offer a view.” |
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