North East waste management specialists J&B Recycling have invested more than £40,000 to enhance safety at their sites across the North East with the installation of SiteZone, a proximity warning system for managing the risk of plant to pedestrian collisions.
The measure came as industry figures highlighted transport operations associated with collection activities (municipal and commercial) at a range of waste management and recycling sites represent the most significant risk of serious or fatal accidents to workers and members of the public. Being struck by a moving vehicle remains the second most common cause of fatal injuries at work, with 23 workers not returning home as a result of a collision with a moving vehicle in 2021-2022.
Whilst J&B Recycling has an excellent health and safety record, Health & Safety Manager, Michael Robinson, felt that further investment in SiteZone would be of benefit. He says,
“Whilst we already have lots of measures in place for safety and traffic management across our sites, SiteZone provides the next level of protection. Even if it prevents one minor injury, it was 100% worth it!”
The SiteZone Proximity Warning System produces a detection zone around a vehicle, machine, or restricted area. When the detection zone is breached by someone wearing a SiteZone tag, the machine operator, pedestrian, and others working nearby are alerted.
Pedestrians wear a small tag, fitted to the back of their protective headwear. If they come within 5 metres of a machine, the tag vibrates alerting them to the danger. Vehicles are fitted with an audio and visual warning system, alerting both the driver and others working nearby to the presence of a pedestrian wearing the SiteZone tag.
Gary Escott, Managing Director of SiteZone Safety, says:
“Due to the nature of activities in waste and recycling there is potential for lots of interaction between people and plant. We have experience with large and small waste companies across the UK and we’re pleased to use this knowledge to benefit J&B Recycling also. Our philosophy is to help our customers meet their health and safety goals and with the use of our proximity warning system and the data that J&B Recycling can now monitor, they will be able to make positive interventions where needed and create safer behaviours on their site.”
After initial training from SiteZone, J&B Recycling’s Operations Support Manager, Brett Cullinane, is rolling out a training program to staff across the company’s four North East sites.
Brett (Right) and Health & Safety Manager, Michael (left), will also work closely together to monitor and evaluate the data collected by SiteZone, highlighting the interactions that take place between people and vehicles to see where additional training may be needed or where changes could be made onsite to further reduce the risks.
J&B Recycling’s Managing Director, Vikki Jackson-Smith, says:
“The safety of our staff and visitors is paramount. SiteZone will not replace our existing safety practices, but it will complement them and enhance safety on site, so we are delighted to have it operational across all four sites.”
About J&B Recycling
J&B Recycling is a waste management firm that specialises in the receipt, haulage and processing of co-mingled recyclables from a number of local authorities including North Tyneside Council, Newcastle City Council, Sunderland City Council, Hull City Council, Craven Council and Hartlepool Council.
J&B Recycling was established by Vikki Jackson-Smith in 1998, to diversify the parent company’s solid fuel business into recycling and waste management to safeguard the jobs of the company's 20 employees at a time when the solid fuel industry was in decline. The diversification and development of the company has seen it grow from a small family managed business into a reputable, established recycling and waste management company recognised nationally, now employing over 200 people. In July 2021 J&B Recycling joined the Urbaser group, one of the largest waste management companies in the world.