The waste compliance company Dsposal today (15 April) released the first in a series of free online modules on Covid-19 safety measures for waste sector key workers.

The training, intended to keep waste operatives safe during the Covid-19 outbreak, is based on the Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum (WISH) guidelines released on 2 April which considers coronavirus transmission mitigation in a range of waste management contexts, including vehicles and collections operations, materials recycling facilities (MRFs), Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) and landfills.

The training also takes into account the non-statutory guidelines released on 7 April from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) recommending local authorities give priority to certain waste services during the coronavirus outbreak.

The online course comes following concern over the safety of waste operatives, who have been classified by the government as ‘key workers’ and are continuing essential work within the waste sector.

WISH suggests that Covid-19 will result in employee absence of between 15 per cent and 50 per cent of the workforce, contributing to the disruption in waste services experienced by local authorities.

Yesterday (14 April), 109 Waste Collection Authorities (WCAs) and 46 Waste Disposal Authorities (WDAs) cited staff absence due to sickness and 149 WCAs and 72 WDAs cited staff absence due to self-isolation as reasons for waste services disruption in a local authority Covid-19 waste impacts survey.

Commenting on Dsposal’s online modules, Alexa Culver, Commercial Director at Dsposal, said: “We wanted to do what we could to support our sector through the Covid-19 lockdown and its immediate aftermath. Promoting proper waste management is a crucial part of maintaining public health and to do that we need to protect the health of our key workers.

“Our free Covid-19 Safety Training can be accessed and completed by all waste sector key workers on computers, smartphones or tablets. This training will be permanently free to ensure there are no cost (or other) barriers to promoting safety.”

Dsposal has also warned against the risk of waste crime as waste and material supply chains are distorted by the Covid-19 pandemic, with criminals poised to take advantage – 51 per cent of local authorities have seen fly-tipping incidents increase during the pandemic.

Culver added: “We’ve heard first-hand from customers how volatile the situation is. With some organisations closing down operations completely due to Covid-19, and others struggling to fulfil contracts with limited staff all the while needing to find new disposal routes as their usual contractors aren’t operating.

“To support and promote the legitimate waste industry and to help all organisations remain legally compliant throughout this period, we have made all our legal compliance tools available on a “pay as you feel” basis. We want it to be easy for companies to check the compliance status of their rapidly changing supply chain and sub-contractors, paying only what they can for the service.”

Dsposal will follow up this introductory training with subsequent free COVID-19 safety training modules targeted at specific groups of waste industry workers.