Picking from floor
ESA Good practice guide
FINAL DRAFT X5 22 October 2009
Draft text with comments received from ESA H&S Committee, the HSE and WISH Forum
Introduction
Picking from the floor (also called ‘totting’ and manual recycling) is the routine removal of materials from waste streams direct by manual means without the use of a picking line or other dedicated recycling plant. It does not, for example, include the periodic removal of non-conforming wastes (such as asbestos containing materials or waste types a site is not permitted to accept) from incoming loads or other similar low frequency activities, which can be controlled by means such as the complete or partial closure of a site while a non-conforming waste is removed. Examples of picking from the floor activities may include:
ü Routine removal by manual means of waste items which may result in blocks or other problems with recycling plant, such as removing large items of waste which may blind a screen or cause blocks in load chutes etc on a recycling plant
ü Routine ‘polishing’ of otherwise clean waste streams, such as removing by manual means plastic packing tape from an otherwise clean load of pre-segregated cardboard
ü The full-time manual removal of recyclable materials from mixed or partially pre-segregated waste streams on the floor of a transfer station, recycling site etc
Typically the above tasks are carried out on a low ‘pile’ of waste delivered to a transfer, recycling or similar site and placed on the floor of the facility for sorting by manual means.
Current guidance
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance specifically aimed at picking from the floor already exists: “Hand sorting of recyclables (‘totting’) with vehicle assist” (reference: Waste 18). In addition more general HSE guidance on traffic management is available such as “Managing vehicle safety at the workplace” (reference: INDG199) and “Safe transport in waste management and recycling facilities” (reference: Waste 09). These and other guidance documents are available as free down-loads from the HSE’s web site’s waste management information section (http://www.hse.gov.uk/waste/information.htm) and should be obtained and used as an input into risk assessment by those considering using picking from the floor as a recycling technique.
This good practice guide takes the general principles laid-out in HSE guidance outlined above and builds on it giving examples and advice on how these general principles may be put into practice at a site level. It does not seek to cover every aspect already contained within HSE guidance and this good practice guide should be read in tandem with current HSE guidance and not as a stand-alone document.
Even following this good practice guide and current HSE guidance does not imply legal compliance: It must be recognised that picking from the floor can be a high-risk activity if not adequately controlled. It is the responsibility of all employers to ensure the health and safety of their employees and third parties, such as temporary workers, and to control all activities accordingly.
Major hazards and risk assessment
The obvious, and potentially most serious, risk associated with picking from the floor is a collision between a vehicle (lorry or heavy mobile plant) and a pedestrian. Such collisions are nearly always serious and can be fatal. Between 2003 and 2008 there was at least one fatal accident every year associated with picking from the floor activities where the proximate cause of death was impact or crushing by a vehicle. This good practice guide concentrates on physical and procedural controls aimed at reducing transport risks.
However, other hazards and risks do exist such as:
ü Manual handling
ü Waste and hygiene
ü Slips and trips
ü Environmental hazards
This good practice guide includes brief sections on these, but does not cover them in detail. Those considering picking from the floor as an activity should ensure that the above, and other relevant, hazards and risks are adequately assessed and controlled.
The basis for good standards of health and safety is via risk assessment. This guide gives examples of good practice, but cannot replace specific operational-level risk assessment tailored to individual site conditions, layout, structure, exact nature of the picking from the floor activity being considered, the types of waste involved and other factors. This good practice guide may be used as an input to risk assessment, but does not replace specific risk assessment.
Eliminate the need - alternatives to picking from the floor
A key principle of risk assessment is the application of a hierarchy of controls, namely: eliminate or avoid the risk; reduce the risk; and control the risk.
Picking from the floor is generally not as efficient as other more mechanised methods for removing recyclables from mixed waste streams and picking from the floor manually to remove waste items which may cause blocks or other problems with recycling plant may be better achieved by other means:
ü Can picking from the floor be eliminated or avoided by installing a picking line or other recycling plant?
ü Would the removal of incompatible waste items which may cause blocks etc be better achieved by using mobile plant such as a grab?
ü Could customers be encouraged to perform better separation of wastes to eliminate the need to polish or separate wastes on site?
Even if alternatives such as the above would not completely eliminate any potential need for picking from the floor, could the need be reduced? Reducing the frequency of and time spent on picking from the floor activities would reduce overall risk levels.
Picking from the floor may be seen as an expedient or ‘cheap’ method to recover recyclables from waste streams. However, those considering the technique should weigh carefully the potential benefits, risks and alternatives rather than approach picking from the floor as a first choice. If some level of picking from the floor is required, then the controls applied should be of a high order.
Transport risks – physical controls
It is inevitable with picking from the floor activities that at some point vehicles will need to access the picking area, such as lorries delivering wastes to the area and/or mobile plant taking recyclables away or leveling/raking-out waste to make it easier to pick from. It is critical to good levels of traffic management that vehicles are not in the picking area when pedestrian pickers are engaged in picking from the floor and that pedestrians are not in the picking area when vehicles are in operation.
In addition, there are often also other traffic movements being undertaken around a floor picking area, whether related to the picking from the floor activity or other site operations: It is rare for a site to close its gates during picking from the floor activities.
Therefore, it is essential that pedestrian pickers are protected both from the vehicles associated with picking from the floor activities and from other traffic which may be in the area. Procedural controls, such as safety rules banning pedestrians from picking areas while vehicles are in operation, must be in place however physical controls to reduce transport risks are the most effective, and should be preferred where they can practicably be installed.
Physical layout and structure of picking areas
Picking areas should be selected or constructed to provide physical protection from vehicles for pedestrian pickers during picking from the floor activities. This may be achieved by utilising an existing area of a site or existing structures, or these may need to be added to or a dedicated area constructed. For example:
ü An existing waste bay with walls on three sides may be modified to provide a dedicated area for picking from the floor
ü An existing push-wall arrangement may be supplemented to provide a safer area for picking from the floor
ü A separate building or physically separated section of a larger building may be used, such as one of a series of smaller separate tipping halls on a civic amenity or transfer site
ü A dedicated picking area may be constructed using ‘A’ frame concrete frames or similar
The selected or constructed area need not be ‘walled’ on all sides: An existing structure such as the support legs for a recycling plant or other structure may form part of or one side of a protected picking area. However, the principle should be that pedestrian pickers should be physically protected from traffic while in the picking area. Picking from the floor, for example, should not take place in the centre of a tipping floor with little or no physical protection offered to pedestrian pickers from traffic movements.
When considering traffic protection from heavy mobile plant, in addition to collisions with the vehicle itself, the reach of plant lift arms, shovels, grabs etc should be accounted for, and any risk of wastes or other materials being ‘dropped’ or ejected into a protected picking from the floor area should likewise be considered.
Of course, the picking area cannot be completely surrounded by fixed structures and needs an access point for vehicles and plant to enter and leave and access for pedestrian pickers.
Pedestrian access to the picking area
It is a basic principle of traffic management that vehicles and pedestrians need to be segregated from each other. For example at a recycling facility pedestrians should not be expected to walk across a tipping floor to access a picking cabin or similar. This principle should be applied to picking from the floor areas:
ü Separate pedestrian access should be provided: Vehicles and pedestrians should not use the same access point
ü Pedestrian routes to and from the picking area should be segregated from traffic movements
Diagram 1. Example of separate vehicle and pedestrian access to a floor picking area
The above example arrangement may be achieved by cutting an access door into the rear of an existing waste bay, or by leaving a gap in panels/’A’ frames used to construct a protected picking area. In other cases no modification may be needed, such as where an existing structure is used as one side of a picking area which allows pedestrian but not vehicle access.
Site layout will determine the location of the pedestrian access point to a picking area. In some circumstances pedestrian access may need to be close, or next to the vehicle access point. In such situations the use of pedestrian barriers to reduce the temptation for pedestrians to use the vehicle access point may need to be considered.
Daigram2. Example use of pedestrian barrier near to vehicle access point
As with all pedestrian access points, traffic protection for pedestrians stepping through the access should be considered. In the same way as it is common to use a pedestrian barrier (inverted hoop or similar) at a fire exit which leads onto a traffic route. If vision from the pedestrian access point is not of 100% of the picking area, or there is the risk of a pedestrian stepping into the area while vehicles are operating, then suitable protection just inside the access point should be considered.
In addition, suitable warning signage should be considered at the pedestrian access point instructing pickers that access is forbidden while vehicles are operating in the picking area – even if such vehicles are temporarily stationary.
Diagram 3. Example of pedestrian protection at the access point to a picking area
Vehicle access to the picking area
As part of the picking from the floor operations vehicles need to access the area to deliver wastes, mobile plant to level or rake wastes out and to remove separated materials etc. With the exception of ‘plant assist’ with large or bulky items (for which specific controls are likely to be required – see below) no vehicles, even if temporarily stationary, should be in the picking area while picking is taking place.
Relying on procedure to exclude vehicles from picking areas while pedestrians are in the area may not be effective: Third party drivers may be involved who do not have the same safety culture as site employees, plant operators may not see a pedestrian in the area and assume it is clear, a driver may misunderstand instructions and proceed into a picking area etc.
Vehicle/plant access points must be protected with a suitable and robust barrier (manually placed or powered) to protect against vehicles/plant entering the area while pedestrians are picking, such as a robust drop barrier, hinged gates etc. In general on vehicle access point barriers, they:
ü Need not be 100% vehicle proof, but should be robust enough that any vehicle driver will be aware of a collision with the barrier
ü Should be clearly visible (hazard stripes, painted in bright colours or similar) and clearly signed to indicate no vehicle/plant access
ü Should be capable of being closed/lowered/put in place from inside the picking area
ü Should not ideally be composed of skips, bales or any other temporary items which require plant or a vehicle to move (if the item of plant/vehicle is not available they may not be placed)
ü Should not be traffic cones, plastic barriers, hazard tape etc – these may be hit by vehicles/plant without the driver being aware of the collision
ü Should not be a chain or cable as if such were to be effective its weight would present manual handling and other risks and it may not be placed at all times because of this
Other systems, such as electronic sensors, ‘magic eyes’ etc linked to an alarm may be used, but must be subject to risk assessment to determine their suitability and are likely to be of use as a back-up to a robust barrier rather than on their own.
Ideally barrier controls/operating point should be located so that pedestrians do not need to cross the picking area to operate/place the barrier (for powered barriers remote control systems may be of use). This will not be practical in all cases if the pedestrian access point is distant from the vehicle access. In such cases the procedure for picking from the floor should make it clear that all vehicles should have left the area before the barrier is placed. A marked and/or protected pedestrian route to the barrier operating point could also be considered.