A Welsh council’s failure to learn from an incident, in which a refuse-collection vehicle broke an overhead power cable, led to the occurrence of a similar incident a few months later.
Brecon Magistrates’ Court heard that both incidents took place in Ystradgynlais, Wales, when employees from Powys County Council were carrying out kerb-side collections of recycling from residential properties.
On 3 June 2010, council workers were loading the contents of recycling bins into a collection vehicle in Lluest. The vehicle struck an overhead power line as it was raising some bins to empty their contents into the body of the lorry. The impact caused one of the cables to snap, and it fell into the road in front of a stationary taxi, narrowly avoiding two workers who were operating the collection vehicle.
On 25 October that year, the council was carrying out a collection in Tudor Street using a larger vehicle. When the truck lifted to tip up the refuse, it also struck and broke an overhead power cable. The cable fell and struck a car, which was waiting behind the truck. Nobody was hurt in the incident.
The HSE investigated both incidents and found the council had failed to adequately assess the risks posed by power lines. It had not trained staff so they were able to assess a safe distance at which to tip the vehicle when near electricity cables. It also failed to identify safe areas for the work to be carried out on collection routes where overhead lines were located.
The council was issued a Prohibition Notice on 10 November 2010, which ordered it to stop operating tipping vehicles in the vicinity of power lines.€
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My SatNav pings when I approach Points of Interest (e.g. speed cameras!) and I can programme anything else as a POI. how easy to program the satNav in the wagon to ping (or voice alert) where at risk cables cross. If the council bought £80 TomToms the hazard would be significantly reduced. Come on council, think ourtside the box!
The Council in question had failed to listen to the operatives with regards to the suitability of these vehicles.
There was a period of consultation however, little or no heed was given to the comments made.
This highlights the need for a structured consultation and operative involvement with the risk assesment process.