BUSINESSES URGED TO CHECK WASTE BINS AFTER FATAL INCIDENT INVOLVING ROUGH SLEEPER

Businesses and waste operators are being reminded of the importance of checking commercial waste bins, particularly during winter, following a fatal incident in which a man seeking shelter was killed after entering a recycling container.

36-year-old Vitalij Maceljuch had climbed into a cardboard recycling bin behind a kitchen store in Chester to escape the cold. The bin was later collected and emptied into a waste vehicle. Despite the driver carrying out standard checks, Mr Maceljuch was not discovered and was later found deceased on a conveyor belt at a recycling facility in Flintshire.

A coroner concluded that Mr Maceljuch died from severe head and neck injuries, consistent with being crushed during the waste-handling process.

The incident has highlighted the ongoing risk of people entering large waste and recycling bins, a hazard that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Waste Industry Safety and Health (WISH) Forum have repeatedly warned against. Both organisations stress that the risk is foreseeable and increases during colder months when rough sleepers may seek shelter in dry, enclosed spaces.

The HSE has published guidance , developed with WISH, setting out practical measures to prevent access to bins and to ensure containers are checked before being emptied. These include securing bin storage areas, improving lighting, using bins with access-restricting features, and training staff to recognise signs that someone may have entered a container.

Tim Small, HM principal inspector of health and safety for waste and recycling, said businesses and waste collectors have a clear duty to act. ‘No one should die because they sought shelter from the cold. Simple checks can prevent tragedies like this from happening,’ he said.

The WISH guidance  makes clear that responsibility for preventing access to bins sits primarily with waste producers and those managing bin storage areas. Risk factors include isolated or poorly lit bin locations, unsecured lids, dry waste such as cardboard or textiles, and containers that are left unemptied for long periods.

Where there is evidence that people are entering or attempting to enter bins, higher-specification containers with lid locks, grilles or opening restrictors should be considered. These controls must be properly maintained and used consistently, particularly during periods of cold or wet weather.

The Environmental Services Association has also produced guidance and training material  for waste operatives on how to check containers safely and what action to take if someone is found inside or nearby.

Employers are also being reminded to ensure workers know how to respond safely if they discover someone in a bin. Guidance advises against attempting to restrain individuals, noting the potential risk of aggression. The priority should be helping the person exit safely and reporting the incident through appropriate channels, including under RIDDOR where serious injury or death occurs.

As the UK experiences freezing temperatures, the HSE is urging organisations that manage commercial waste to review their risk assessments and procedures, record incidents and near misses, and share relevant information between waste producers and collection services.

Businesses urged to check waste bins after fatal incident involving rough sleeper | IOSH magazine