Injuries rife among rubbish men

By ELIZABETH BINNING

Watch what you put out in the trash - your rubbish man may have trouble lifting it.

ACC is so concerned about the number of rubbish collectors complaining of bad backs that it has written to all local authorities asking them to warn ratepayers about the type of rubbish they are throwing out.

The corporation receives about 300 claims a year from rubbish collectors who have been seriously injured on the job.

Besides bad backs, there are cuts caused by rubbish bags full of broken glass, china or sharp objects.

Some local bodies have decided to act.

The Hauraki District Council has decided to reduce the maximum weight of the bags collectors are required to pick up from 20kg to 15kg.

It is hoped this will reduce the number of torn muscles and back injuries.

The Hamilton City Council is preparing a series of promotional messages in its next newsletter for ratepayers.

The issue is less of a problem is areas such as Auckland Central, where rubbish is disposed of in plastic wheelie bins that are picked up by trucks - not people.

ACC industry injury prevention consultant Gordon Johnson said many injuries would be eliminated if ratepayers disposed of rubbish safely.

That means wrapping broken objects in newspaper so the jagged edges do not tear through the thin plastic bags and cut collectors.

It also means not putting heavy items, like car parts and scrap metal, into rubbish bags meant for household waste.

Mr Johnson said the waste management industry was working on a set of guidelines to help to reduce workplace injuries.

However, the industry has no influence over residents.

Local bodies are ultimately responsible for rubbish collectors' health and safety on the job, because they are the ones letting out the contracts for kerbside collections.

OSH Auckland regional manager John Forrest said that while some councils actively promoted safe disposal of rubbish, those who did not would be reminded of their obligations under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.