Apply vehicle-pedestrian segregation and reversing controls to kerbside collection rounds.
Occupational Health & Safety
Waste and Recycling Industry Safety from Collection Rounds to Sorting Facilities
Learn to control vehicle, manual handling, sharps and fire risks across kerbside collection rounds, transfer stations and materials recovery facilities.
🗓️Duration5 training days
📚Content4 modules · 8 sessions
🎓On completionAccredited attendance certificate
About the programme
Course Overview
A reversing refuse collection vehicle remains one of the most common causes of death in the waste and recycling industry, and a lithium-ion battery crushed inside a baler can start a fire that a sorting facility's usual response plan was never designed for. This course teaches waste operations managers, transfer station supervisors and health and safety advisers how to control risk across the full waste and recycling stream, from kerbside collection rounds to materials recovery facility sorting and picking lines. Participants cover reversing and vehicle-pedestrian segregation for collection rounds, manual handling of bins, bags and bulky waste, and the specific hazards of sharps and needlestick injury on sorting and picking lines. The course addresses fire risk from lithium-ion batteries entering the waste stream, guarding and isolation for balers, shredders and compactors, and bioaerosol exposure at composting and organic waste sites. Practical exercises include reviewing a transfer station's traffic management plan and assessing a sorting facility picking line for manual handling and sharps controls. By the end, participants can identify where collection, sorting and processing risks are highest and put controls in place that fit continuous operational pressure.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Assess manual handling risks in bin, bag and bulky waste collection tasks.
Identify sharps and needlestick injury risks on materials recovery facility picking lines.
Control lithium-ion battery fire risk from collection point to processing equipment.
Implement guarding and isolation procedures for balers, shredders and compactors.
Evaluate bioaerosol exposure risk at composting and organic waste processing sites.
Design a transfer station traffic management plan that separates vehicles and pedestrians.
Who Should Attend
Waste operations managers responsible for collection rounds and transfer stations.
Materials recovery facility supervisors managing picking lines and processing equipment.
Health and safety advisers auditing waste and recycling sites.
Refuse collection vehicle drivers and loaders requiring a broader risk picture.
Composting and organic waste site operators managing bioaerosol exposure.
Local authority waste contract managers overseeing contractor safety performance.
Course Modules
Select any module to see its sessions and points.
01Collection Round Safety
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Managing Reversing and Vehicle Movement
- Plan collection routes that minimise reversing manoeuvres wherever practically possible.
- Apply banksman and camera or sensor systems for reversing manoeuvres that cannot be avoided.
- Segregate loaders from vehicle movement paths during collection and bin return.
- Brief crews on high-risk locations, such as narrow streets and blind driveways, before rounds.
Session 2Handling Bins, Bags and Bulky Waste
- Assess bin lift mechanism hazards, including trapping points, before manual intervention.
- Apply manual handling techniques suited to overweight or contaminated bags and containers.
- Identify bulky waste items requiring two-person handling or mechanical assistance.
- Report and isolate a bin containing hazardous or unexpected contents before continuing the round.
02Materials Recovery Facility Safety
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Controlling Picking Line Hazards
- Identify sharps, needles and contaminated items likely to appear on a picking line.
- Specify cut-resistant gloves and other personal protective equipment for picking tasks.
- Set needlestick injury protocols, including immediate reporting and medical referral.
- Apply housekeeping standards that keep picking line walkways clear of slip and trip hazards.
Session 2Guarding Balers, Shredders and Compactors
- Inspect fixed and interlocked guards on balers, shredders and compactors before each shift.
- Apply lockout procedures before clearing blockages or entering guarded machine areas.
- Check emergency stop function and accessibility along processing equipment lines.
- Review permit-to-work procedures for planned maintenance on processing machinery.
03Fire and Chemical Risk in the Waste Stream
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Managing Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Risk
- Identify collection and sorting points where lithium-ion batteries are most likely to enter the stream.
- Apply segregation and safe storage measures for batteries identified before processing.
- Position fire detection and suppression equipment to address battery-related ignition risk.
- Train staff to recognise early signs of battery thermal events during sorting.
Session 2Controlling Chemical and Biological Exposure
- Identify chemical hazards from mixed waste, including corrosive or flammable residues.
- Assess bioaerosol exposure at composting, organic waste and residual sorting operations.
- Apply respiratory protection and hygiene controls where bioaerosol exposure cannot be eliminated.
- Monitor health surveillance data for workers in high bioaerosol exposure roles.
04Site Traffic and Safety Management
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Managing Transfer Station Traffic
- Design one-way vehicle routes and clear pedestrian walkways through a transfer station.
- Position banksmen or traffic marshals at points of highest vehicle-pedestrian conflict.
- Control visitor and third-party vehicle access to active tipping and sorting areas.
- Review traffic management plans after any layout change or near-miss incident.
Session 2Building Site-Wide Safety Performance
- Audit contractor and agency worker induction against site-specific hazard information.
- Investigate incidents across collection, transfer and processing to identify common causes.
- Track near-miss reporting to target training and engineering controls proactively.
- Review safety performance data with operational managers to prioritise investment.
What the participant receives
4 course modules
A structured syllabus
8 training sessions
across 5 days
32 detailed points
Applied, detailed content
Accredited attendance certificate
On completing the programme
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