WorkSafe has launched a statewide inspection campaign aimed at the waste and recycling transport industry. 

The program will see inspectors visiting workplaces across Victoria to assess and address safety risks related to loading, vehicle maintenance, and load restraint.

Since 2019, eight workers in this sector, including truck drivers and garbage collectors, have died, often as a result of vehicles rolling away or crashes. 

Notable incidents include two fatalities where workers were crushed between their trucks and nearby structures. These cases occurred in St Albans in July 2021 and Melbourne’s CBD in June 2023.

In another case, Country Cart Pty Ltd was fined $300,000 in 2022 for the death of a worker who was crushed between a truck and a gate in 2019 due to a faulty parking brake.

WorkSafe's Executive Director of Health and Safety, Sam Jenkin, highlighted the unique dangers of the waste transport industry, saying; “Workers in the waste transport sector often work in confined conditions with unpredictable loads that can become unstable”. 

“Sadly, we continue to see serious and sometimes tragic incidents in this sector that could have been prevented.”

The inspection campaign forms part of a broader strategy to enhance safety within the heavy vehicle transport industry. 

This effort includes workplace visits, enforcement actions, and collaboration with industry bodies. 

WorkSafe urges employers to comply with safety regulations and familiarise themselves with laws, such as the chain of responsibility, which holds various parties accountable for the safe operation of heavy vehicles.

In support of these efforts, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator has introduced the Waste and Recycling Industry Code of Practice (PDF) to help businesses identify common hazards and reduce risks.