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Walters27362  
#1 Posted : 18 September 2017 15:52:19(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
Walters27362

I am interested in your views about managing the risk of contracting illnesses such as Hepatitis from being in daily contact with household wastes in a energy from waste facility.

The operators are routinely exposed to faeces, in the form of soiled nappies, and also various hazardous items such as syringes and other drug-users paraphenalia during the hand-sorting of a whole range of wastes with no chemical pre-treatment.

What are the controls that should be in place before relying on PPE?

Does anyone have practical experience of waste / waste from energy companies that pay for their employees to have vaccinations against such risks?

thanks for your help.

aud  
#2 Posted : 18 September 2017 17:37:08(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
aud

Hello Walters27362

I would start by going onto the Waste Industry Safety & Health (WISH) site https://wishforum.org.uk/?page_id=33 list of guidance for the industry.

Check out WASTE 22 & 27 especially although others may also be relevant. ​​​​​​​Preventative vaccination is not 100% effective and people cannot be forced to participate.

I don't know what RDF in the title stands for . . ?

thanks 1 user thanked aud for this useful post.
Walters27362 on 21/09/2017(UTC)
Spacedinvader  
#3 Posted : 19 September 2017 09:23:41(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Spacedinvader

RDF - Refuse Derived Fuel

Ron Hunter  
#4 Posted : 19 September 2017 16:14:47(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Ron Hunter

I've been impressed watching several "How It's Made" programs on Cable TV as to the level of computer managed image processing and automatic selection and sorting of various foodstuffs and other products - all achieved without any human intervention.

Ironic surely that the other end of that supply chain resorts to such high-risk handling practices?

Walters27362  
#5 Posted : 21 September 2017 09:05:02(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
Walters27362

Thanks for the advice I will have a look at those webpages Aud.

I agree with you Ron that the use of automatic recognition and segregation hasn't been adopted in the waste industry: much cheaper to employ someone to sort rubbish! I'm sure it will eventually get there in the RDF sector as there is a need for this technology and the profits will increase so making it more affordable, or preferable, as less risk for contracting serious diseases of workers in what traditionally has been a low margin business.

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