Here’s my puzzle for the last few months I’ve been working night change overs for a company in the north east odd times however they get me to run hospital waste down to wrexham where its incinerated so we are talking a trailer full of bins full of human body parts dirty sheets etc ect… anything the hospitals throw in the empties i haul back have pools of blood in the bottom.
(sorry for the graphic picture) these bins you hand ball in and out with out protective clothing or gloves my question is do i not need an adr for this type of work
sweaney:
:? trailer full of bins full of human body parts dirty sheets etc ect… anything the hospitals throw in the empties i haul back have pools of blood in the bottom.
(sorry for the graphic picture) these bins you hand ball in and out with out protective clothing or gloves my question is do i not need an adr for this type of work
I would not be worried about the ADR at this point i would be worried about my health as you do not know what contamination you are at risk from at least get some surgical gloves or that as your companies Health and Safety policy clearly states that they should provide all forms of protective equipment needed.
I think you will find this waste is a bio hazard, that’s why it has to be incinerated.
Contact the HSE for starters and your union if you have one and find out what regulations cover carrying human bio waste.
Don’t just leave and do nothing about the company because then some other poor ** gets landed with the job.
I’d agree with metalhead & muckles. Surely this has to be a health & safety issue here. I for one would certainly not go anywhere near the type of things you’ve described without any form of protective clothing!
With Bio-Hazardous waste you don’t know what your handling. Is it contaminated or infectious?
[zb] to the boss, don’t compromise your own safety, because you can bet that he won’t give a **** if there’s any come-backs!
as for adr im not sure if this is the right area others with adr may know
hse.gov.uk/spd/cw_coe2.pdf
and this may be worth a read regarding it rha.net/public/roadway/03/09/dangerous.shtml
I wouldn’t touch this stuff without sight of a risk assessment detailing the safety procedures for handling/transportation!
Have a look at the procedures in place for where you load and unload, especially the protective clothing and equipment required, you should be following the same standards.
Question: What would you do in the event of an accident whilst transporting such cargo? (You should know)
just did the run again last night and asked one of the regular drivers the score
according to him because the stuff is in gov bins its in a sort of Grey area ie not being loose sacks which would need an ADR however the plot deepens because the stuff isn’t in sealed bins and tends to be spilling out the top,
also the regular drivers are given a long list of jabs against possible infection this however is not the case for yours truly here, i have not being given this safe guard lets face it i have not being supplied with gloves never mind jabs.
The same is true for any of the night lads that have or will do the run.
i could go on but don’t want to get on a soap box.
to answer one question posted above i don’t know what to do in an accident have not being told a thing the same driver however who has shed a little light on the situation for me told me how he had his finger ran threw with a syringe recently 
run away from this job as quickly and as far as you can 
Under the health and safety at work act 1974 employers are responsible for your health and safety and must inform you of the risks assosiated with your job…Employers can not run away from their duties under the law and there fore should any thing happen to you you would be able to make a claim…Even if you are an agency worker the same law applies…
Gloves should be given under the PERSONAL PROTECTION REGULATIONS
I work in the NHS and also a safety rep .In those bags you are likely to have HEPATITIS A,B,C, HIV. URINE BLOOD, ■■■, and possiibly sharps for example needle sticks or sutures and believe me they do get thrown away accidentally. there is presently a big campaign going on in the NHS about needlestick injuries… Put your concerns in writing ask for what your entitled or as jonboy says run away and get out…
A small cut could cost you an infection or your life take care
Ask for a H & S evaluation, your employers are legally obligised to carry it out if requested.
Also you could give the HSE a call & ask for thier advice, the company you are pulling out of ask thereas they have a legal obligation for thier contractors, sahake a few trees & see what falls out.
1 Are you on the books sweany or on agency
if agency tell them of the problems that exist if on the books ask as others have said to either see the H&S risk assessment or the H&S safety officer for the company and put your case forward
As others say if you can get away from it do so but if its a case of no job to go to dont be worried that by rocking the boat you will be got rid of as if you have a contract you have access to rights and rules that your employer must follow
And sorry if seemed to Jump at you straight away in first post it just scares ,e when i see stuff like this
Welcome to trucknet and hope it gets better for you
Im no expert m8. And I could be wrong. I work in the waste industry and have had an ADR for about 9 years. Packages only.
I don’t think the issue here is whether its ADR. A waste producer is responsible for declaring if their waste is special/danderous. There lots of " dodgy stuff" (technical term) that can be carried without an ADR.
Its more a case of H&S. Your employer should be able to supply you with a risk assessment. Detailing threat, vulnerability and control. You’ll never completely get rid of a risk … hence the risk assessment, but attempts have to made to minimise that risk. That risk assessment should also include needle stick injuries. Not very nice! Iv’e had a couple myself, while cleaning the back of the truck down. The odd one unfortunately turns up now and again. But needles or “sharps” if they are included in your load on a regular basis, should be in sharps containers. There normally yellow plastic containers. Unfortunately Doctors and Med students are clever idiots and have a tendency to just throw them in their normal waste bins.
If you have concerns you should speak to your employer. Your health and safety should be their main priority. (Yeah, yeah I know its not always).
Are you being issued with PPE. Not just signing for it, but also being shown how its s’posed to be used. Its a bit tedious when someone shows you how to use a rubber protective glove 
but they are obliged too.
They might well be doing everything by the book. If they are they should give you all the PPE and information that you want, (not just the info that you need). They might not know that people usually doing these runs might be getting a little sloppy. You don’t have to rock the boat, just ask them some questions. The replies you get should be enough to set off alarmbells if needed.
Hope you get the answers your looking for!
sweaney:
the regular drivers are given a long list of jabs against possible infection
All the jabs in the world won’t stop you contracting HIV off a needle or body fluids 
I agree with all above posts. Speak to your gaffers or run far,far away.
Shore Porters in Aberdeen had the contract for Eurocare in Scotland doing the same kind of loads. Not sure if it was them or another company, but they were all over the news last year because their trailers were parked up in laybys with fluids seeping out the back doors. 
Yuck
As a former HIV educator, one point needs making HIV is very difficult to catch from a dirty nedle & from body fluid its even more difficult. HIV is a delicate little thing & does not survive outside of the body for very long.
The issue of Hepatitis is however differnt & no less deadly than HIV & as for some of the other infections, MRSA, the media friendly “superbug” staphylococcus aureus it causes between 5 & 15000 deaths annually.
MRSA should be of great concern for ANYONE handeling hospital waste.
thanks to everyone that has replied to my first post you have been most helpful
i decided to stand my ground with TM and raised a few questions on the health and safety aspects when asking about proper safety equipment however or at least a pair of gloves that would safe guard against sharps (as a few drivers have getting stuck with needles) the TM suggested a pair of marigolds, so i suggested they find some one else to cover the eurocare runs.
However this sat so well that they give me a call today and promptly sacked me.
So anyone knowing of work in the NE for a class one driver don’t really fancy agency ?
Don’t regret standing my ground however if you haven’t got your health what have you got,
again thank you everyone
Been sacked for health and saftey grounds is a big no no!
No matter how long you have worked there!
If he sacked you because of that you will have a very good case at a tribunal
I agree with the Critic mate…
If he’s not willing to help you in staying safe at work, he’s ■■■■ well not looking out for any of the other drivers he employs…
Fight it all the way mate, sounds like you could take him to the cleaners…
Contact the HSE & see a solicitor.
waugh’s running eurocare contract