Bin reps call for urgent action after Brighton trash crush death (From The Argus)
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Bin reps call for urgent action after Brighton trash crush death
2:23pm Tuesday 14th July 2009 in
Union bosses have renewed their calls for urgent action over the safety of Brighton and Hove’s new communal bins following the death of Scott Williams.
The GMB raised concerns earlier this year following two cases in which rough sleepers escaped death after sleeping in communal or business wheelie bins.
Now, it appears Mr Williams, 35, was not so lucky, being crushed to death after having been in a commercial bin when it was loaded onto a refuse lorry.
It is calling for investment in safety checks and condemning cuts to the refuse budget which mean no loader is now employed to check nobody is inside the bins before they are automatically emptied into the crusher.
Robert Macey LLB, GMB Organiser said: “This was obviously a tragic accident and we would wish to express our condolences both to the family of the deceased and the employees who found him.
“Since the Conservative administration began cutting the budget for the refuse service and introducing communal bins we have been warning that that this was an accident waiting to happen. There had already been two near misses earlier this year before this latest tragic accident.
“Whether the bins are owned by the council or private contractors, measures now need to be taken to ensure that all communal bins in the city are made safe and secured in a way that prevents people entering them and putting their lives at risk.
“We are therefore calling on the council to take action on this matter’ In May, screams were heard coming from a bin collected from Brighton beach.
The collection truck, crewed by one driver, pulled up alongside the bin and used the CCTV system in its cab to line it up and engage its automatic emptying mechanism.
The bin was hoisted above the vehicle and was about to be emptied into the compactor when the driver heard terrified shouts from a man inside.
In Queen’s Place, Brighton, in February, a shop bin containing a homeless man was pulled 30 yards down the road and tipped into a dustcart.
The Veolia Environmental Services crew hit an emergency button to stop him from being crushed.
Comments(25)
Cherry Pie
says...
2:53pm Tue 14 Jul 09
I like the way the argus is making it sound like this was a council bin too lol.
bibble
says...
2:59pm Tue 14 Jul 09
There are other ways round this problem (and it is a problem). Bins designed so that people cannot get into them is an obvious option.
cantmoveforbins
says...
3:26pm Tue 14 Jul 09
Tony Davenport
says...
3:40pm Tue 14 Jul 09
Hope they feel some sense of guilt, but I would doubt it.
Perhaps Mr. Robert Macey of the GMB should take time off trying to score political points - it was in fact Labour who introduced this idiotic system. That's right - Gill Mitchell who was chair of environment, along with Warren Morgan and Craig Turton, both on the environment committee, long before the Tories won control of the council. How these individuals now have the brass neck to blame it all on the Tories is quite staggering.
Tony Davenport
Proximaking
says...
4:09pm Tue 14 Jul 09
King from Hove
says...
4:23pm Tue 14 Jul 09
e/bus lanes/KA waste of taxpayers monies/catherines lodge hostel and others etc etc.Will never forgive them for the A259 bus lane fiasco.
yorkie44
says...
5:27pm Tue 14 Jul 09
For Every Sprinkle I Find
says...
6:05pm Tue 14 Jul 09
mackeson
says...
6:15pm Tue 14 Jul 09
Osama bin there
says...
6:15pm Tue 14 Jul 09
Then at least the council won't have to worry about any expensive court cases against them.
Mr Numptyhead
says...
6:54pm Tue 14 Jul 09
The person who died was not from Brighton, not homeless, was a teacher so presumably not without intelligence, and some comments suggest this hasn't sunk in.
Read Tony Davenports post for a valid comment.
If the communal bins require more manpower then they are not even cheaper than a doorstep collection, so a complete waste of time and money.
I just completed a B&H council consultation document for their waste management strategy, and these bins undermine just about every objective!
security word = thus-cost
rather apt.
L1103
says...
7:41pm Tue 14 Jul 09
cam999
says...
7:55pm Tue 14 Jul 09
puddingandpi
says...
8:28pm Tue 14 Jul 09
bibble wrote:Instead of designing bins that people can't get into, how about people not being so **** STUPID as to get into a bin & pass out?
Of course, the union wouldn't (mis)use this sad incident to further their own ends, would they?
There are other ways round this problem (and it is a problem). Bins designed so that people cannot get into them is an obvious option.
bug eye
says...
12:21am Wed 15 Jul 09
stickman
says...
2:09am Wed 15 Jul 09
Tony Davenport wrote:Keep up - this was a commercial bin!
This is of course a terrible tragedy, and thoughts go to the poor gentleman's family. I do have to point out though that CityClean were warned that this was a distinct possibility. I know this for a fact as I, and others, put it to them personally. Gillian Marston, the assistant director, Tim Moore, the then operations manager, and Jenny Rowlands, the director of the environment, were completely dismissive, almost laughing it off.
Hope they feel some sense of guilt, but I would doubt it.
Perhaps Mr. Robert Macey of the GMB should take time off trying to score political points - it was in fact Labour who introduced this idiotic system. That's right - Gill Mitchell who was chair of environment, along with Warren Morgan and Craig Turton, both on the environment committee, long before the Tories won control of the council. How these individuals now have the brass neck to blame it all on the Tories is quite staggering.
Tony Davenport
We all know you don't like the council bins but hijacking this mans death to support your own case is pretty tasteless...
stan bailey
says...
6:50am Wed 15 Jul 09
Tony Davenport
says...
11:04am Wed 15 Jul 09
We'll use an analogy. Let's suppose there was a child who residents warned specific senior social services officers was at risk. Let's also imagine other social workers warned them as well. Twice the child is taken into hospital with fractured bones - two 'near misses'. Let's imagine those senior officers still allowed the child to stay with the parents.
Child is killed by the parents.
Now, under your logic it would be shameful to try and lay any blame on those senior officers, right? Let's say one of those who warned them speaks up about how these individuals were told that this could happen, they should be criticised for trying to 'cash in' on the child's death? Or accused of making political points? Don't be absurd.
The point is with communal bins that there are serious safety issues - not just with regard to people climbing into them, but also in what hazardous materials can freely be put into them, and their placement on double yellow lines (if lines are not safe for vehicles, how are they safe for a bin?). All these factors were explicitly put to these officers by myself and other residents, and, it now seems, by union and CityClean workers. It's interesting how you know it was a commercial bin, not a communal bin as all the press, local and national, seems to say otherwise. However it does not matter whether it was or not. Are you trying to claim that if this tragedy occurred in a commercial bin it categorically could not happen in a communal/residential bin? On what do you base your argument?
As for these 'cutbacks' it is CityClean managers who designate people's jobs. We've got a multitude of CityClean workers on 'recycling' - could one of them not have been moved over and tasked with checking all the bins before they are hoisted into the collection truck? Seems like common sense to me.
As I write this the communal bin truck has just been collected in my street. One driver - no-one checking the bin beforehand.
Tony Davenport
Osama bin there
says...
11:23am Wed 15 Jul 09
If someone is stupid enough to get into them, surely it's their fault and no one else's.
It's like saying that all pedestrian crossings should have a policeman by them, just in case someone crosses the road stupidly and gets knocked down.
People do have to take some responsibility for their own actions, and not always be blaming those who are just trying to do their normal jobs.
Why should we, the taxpayers, pay to employ an extra person to check the bins, just because a tiny proportion of the population misuse them. Surely that is a misuse of public money.
Tony Davenport
says...
11:47am Wed 15 Jul 09
Tony Davenport
Osama bin there
says...
6:03pm Wed 15 Jul 09
Angela Brighton
says...
2:06am Sat 18 Jul 09
Asiseeit
says...
9:13am Sat 18 Jul 09
aste.com/store/1000.
jpg
Does that look like a council bin?
Having been a customer of the company concerned i know for a fact they used to empty my bins (same as pictured in link) with 2 members of staff.
I have also watched them check the contents before even moving the bin.
The whole thing stinks of foul play, look at the bin and tell me how a 6ft man could possibly get comfortable in there? Its much smaller than the black communal bins everybody here is talking about.
The council constaintly moan about bags on the streets, ok so they may produce a bit of mess when the seagulls break in but at least the risk of someone sleeping in a bin is reduced.
Another thing is, i am fortunate to have my bin locked in a store, other businesses are not so fortunate, i know of two friends who have been told to move their bin from the front of the shop to an alley at the side, the perfect hide away for someone to bed down for the night. All because it doesnt give the right impression for City Brighton!!! WTF!!!
Its time the council took responsibility for theIr own actions and started to help local businesses and protect the public!
ryalto
says...
9:08am Sun 19 Jul 09
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Charismatic Andrew says...
2:34pm Tue 14 Jul 09
It's called natural selection.