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You are here: CIWM  >  Publications  >  Latest News  >  Taylor Launches EN840 Safety Awareness Campaign

Taylor Launches EN840 Safety Awareness Campaign

14 March 2011

Taylor, the UK manufacturer and designer of 4 wheeled waste and recycling containers, today launched EN840 safety awareness campaign for the waste and recycling industry in light of Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) call for improvements and greater vigilance.

EN840 is the European Standard for mobile waste containers, which include 2 and 4 wheeled bins that come with varying capacities and specifications. Compliance with these standards and the associated Waste Industry Health and Safety (WISH) guidelines ensures the safety of the end users like the employees and the public.

The campaign comes in response to the recent figures released by the HSE, which show that the waste and recycling industry is one of the most dangerous in the UK. The combined fatal and major injury rate in waste and recycling is more than four times the average across all industries. The national safety awareness campaign on its part will help educate those responsible for buying bins about the relevant guidelines and key points that need to be considered when selecting products. The drive will also highlight the risk involved in selecting the wrong product, which may possibly result in injury to workers that ultimately leave organizations wide open to the full force of an HSE investigation and possible legal consequences including heavy fines and prosecution.

Peter Selkirk, Taylor CEO, commented: "As an industry we cannot afford to sit still when it comes to health and safety. Taylor has made a commitment to ensure that all its products are produced, and maintained, to the highest standards. Only by being properly informed of these standards will those who work in the industry be able to make the right decision; protecting the safety of workers, customers and the general public."

The campaign includes an educational guide to the main points of the relevant EN840 and WISH guidelines, case studies on recent industry related accidents and information on the rigorous testing that EN840 compliant containers are subjected to. For instance, some of the key requirements of EN840 include bins' compatibility with lifting devices. The European standard specifies that the container shall be constructed in a manner that it fits on an approved, compatible lifting device. Furthermore, the guidance makes it imperative for containers to have four swivel castors, and each castor capable of withstanding 1/3 of the total permissible mass. Strong lifting handles that withstand hard use to avoid damage caused by collisions or from disconnecting when used to fit the container up the kerb and containers passing rigorous physical and performance tests specified within EN840.

Peter Selkirk further added: "Waste bins have been taken for granted for many years, but this is because the majority of the items in use today are of a high quality standard. It is imperative that this standard is maintained, and the potential risks made plain to those who may be considering using equipment that does not conform to the relevant standards. HSE inspectors also operate in the real world; and it is their job to help people understand that good health and safety practice saves money: reducing risk effectively protects a company's bottom line."

Krishna Buddhiraju