WorkSafe to put spotlight on waste transport harm after 8 fatal incidents in 5 years

WorkSafe Victoria is set to launch a statewide inspection program to decrease incidents such as deaths and injuries in the waste and recycling transport industry.

Inspectors from WorkSafe Victoria will visit known workplaces across the waste and recycling transport industry throughout the state, targeting safety issues around both loading and unloading, vehicle maintenance and load restraint.

Since 2019, eight truck drivers and garbage collectors have sadly passed away while engaged in waste and recycling transport. These incidents commonly occurred due to vehicles rolling away or being involved in crashes.

Two of these tragic incidents included two workers crushed between their trucks and brick walls.

Another sad example was back in 2022 when waste disposal company Country Cart was convicted and fined a total of $300,000 after the death of a garbage truck driver. This driver was crushed between his truck and a gate while collecting bins at Leongatha South in 2019 due to a faulty parking brake.

These incidents can prove to be fatal, and over the past five years, more than 400 truck drivers and garbage collectors in the industry have been injured seriously enough to receive workers’ compensation. Body stressing, falls, being hit by moving objects and vehicle incidents accounted for the majority of injuries for these workers.

This investigation and focus on the waste management transport industry is part of a wider WorkSafe push to improve safety in the heavy vehicle transport industry. Strategies for this push are through strategic visits, compliance and enforcement, and industry partnerships.

WorkSafe executive director of health and safety Sam Jenkin said the transportation of waste carried unique risks that employers must take every reasonable step to control.

“Workers in the waste transport sector often work in confined conditions with unpredictable loads that can become unstable, while improper maintenance can lead to damaged vehicles, skips, bins and lifting gear – putting workers and others at risk,” Jenkin said.

“Sadly, we continue to see serious and sometimes tragic incidents in this sector that could have been prevented, which is why these issues will be a particular focus for our inspectors.”

Considering the high number of injuries and fatalities that have occurred in this specific industry, it’s crucial that Victoria employers do everything they can to protect workers and others from the hazards that can arise through the job tasks their employees undertake.