Posted By Sean Fraser Barry, I don't work in a local authority, but as a user of a wheely bin I think they are absolutely fantastic. They are simple to move from location to lcoation and back, even when fully laden and dragged up and down steps (if a relatively fit and youngish individual!) and most importantly, on a coastal city like Aberdeen, it has a major impact in reducing the damage caused by seagulls and associated pests - less refuse spread around the streets attracting other more dangerous creatures. Having removed their easily accessible food supply, the birds have a tendency to migrate elsewhere as a consequence, so their other disruptions (like nesting and noise) are dealt with at the same time. Cost? Don't know about it, but I think if you contact Aberdeen City Council and ask them if they felt it was a reasonable investment you'll get a resounding endorsement!

Posted By Mark Swift I am the H&S Advisor for a Waste Management Company who works for a LA and have a large contract for the refuse collection in Yorkshire. If you go down the route of wheelie bins which I would recommend. You would need to set your rules out from the start. i.e. bin lids need to be presented flat (not top hatted). This can cause no end of accidents, both when moving the bins and when presenting them to the bin lift. Also rules would need to be set on side waste. Dispensations can be a major problem and cause no end of operational issues and distances pulled would need to be clear although guidance is not specific in the MH Reg's. A clear and precise checking system would need to be implimented on who is allowed dispensations. The above all result in accidents, fatigue, short cuts (especially job and knock). Although legally, LA's are required to take all waste, educating the public from the start is a key issue to reducing accidents to your employees. Hope this helps.

Posted By Steve Granger Chichester District Council are currently phasing in wheeled bins and a comprehensive recycling box scheme.We currently use bags collection but will continue to use bags as 'purchased overflow collection which are charged. This leaves us managing both problems! The safety team have been instrumental in descisions regarding manufacturer of the wheelie bins, size of recycle boxes and vehicle modification for both wheelie bins and kerbside collection of recycle boxes. Leg cuts to safety of sack handlers introduced ballistic trousers (double side seam)for all refuse and ground staff. We still have difficulty in selecting the correct gloves at affordable prices. Training on wheelie bin use is important as misuse can introduce greater risks than bags. Our approach has included a separate support team who troubleshoot to assess property and client needs. They also audit the refuse to identify environmental contaminants that the public have been instructed not to put in the larger capacity bins. The bottom line to operatives is to refuse to lift if in doubt. In addition to this we have developed a special 'manual handling of wheeled bins' training course on power point which I can send to fellow practitioners.

Posted By Barry hutton Thanks for the messages I was interested to read the responses. Are assessment of risk has considered using the assessment format shown in the manual handling regs. We believe that there are still significant risk associate with wheelie bin operation e.g. bins being overloaded; use of lifting equipment; etc. Has anyone else actually used the manual handling assessment format to consider the risks and if so what were the results.

Posted By Graham Bullough Earlier respondents have already described the manual handling advantages of wheelie bins over black plastic bags, except probably at households with lots of steps or steep steps. Wheelie bins also have other advantages: they are less prone to the problems of spillage which occur with bags because householders cannot be bothered to tie them. Also, they cannot be ripped open by cats, dogs and notably foxes - which now seem to thrive on edible refuse in urban areas. In this respect wheelie bins should be advantageous to the refuse collection crews who are saved the time and effort of shovelling up spillages. However, I suppose that yobbos could take delight in tipping over and spilling the contents of wheelie bins or even setting their contents alight. I also understand that in some areas the greater capacity of wheelie bins compared with bags permits significant savings because refuse collections can be reduced from a weekly to a fortnightly basis. However, I imagine that this may need to be accompanied by an effective recycling scheme which reduces the amount of stuff which goes in the bins. Some of you may enjoy the following whimsical yarn about an event which allegedly occurred when wheelie bins were introduced in one area, probably somewhere in Yorkshire, a few years ago. A binman (a refuse collection operative if you want to be posh)went to a house and couldn't see the new bin which the householder should have started using. As he looked, the householder - who happened to be Chinese - came out of his house. "Where's yer bin?" asked the binman. The householder replied "I've bin to China". "No - where's yer wheelie bin? asked the binman. "Well, I've weally bin to China" came the reply!

Posted By Bernard J. Hallinan Barry, I, like many of the other respondants on the topic, am not personally involved with a local authority. In Ireland the tipping cost at tipheads has increased so dramatically in recent years that many private refuse collection companies have been forced to seriously turn to recycling as a realistic option. With this in mind, a company that collects the refuse in my area has recently issued a second wheelie bin to all households for all dry recyclables. Now the recycling bin and the standard bin are collected on alternate weeks with huge savings on tipping costs for the waste collector, apparently sufficient savings to justify the issueing of a second wheelie bin to all households. Maybe some such initiative could fund your changeover to wheelie bin collections.