Health & Safety

Why do we exist and what are we trying to achieve for the industry?

The sector group was established to eliminate occupational injury or illness in the solid waste and resource recovery sector by:

• Providing a support network for those actively involved in health and safety in the waste management sector
• Making available credible, targeted and relevant information
• Facilitating opportunities for communication, co-operation and exchange of ideas and experiences
• Providing a forum for discussions with government agencies and other key sector stakeholders on waste related OHS issues and regulations
• Encouraging strategic and commercially relevant research and development
• Developing and promoting relevant good practice standards or guidelines and encourage their adoption by the sector

Who is on the steering committee?

What is our work programme?

• Run relevant events for the sector.
• Utilise WasteMINZ’s communication channels to promote health and safety issues
• Suggest relevant workshops, topics and presenters for the WasteMINZ conference
• Run targeted WasteMINZ events for government agencies and key stakeholders
• Advise the sector when submissions are being sought on updated/new legislation and make submissions where appropriate
• Publish relevant research on the WasteMINZ website

Publications

To view the strategic and work plan – January 2021 – June 2022, please click here

What are the past projects that the sector group has developed or assisted in?

What are the past projects that the sector group has developed or assisted in?

• Health and Safety Issues in the Solid Waste and Resources Industry (2007)
• Solid Waste & Recoverable Resources Industry Injury Causation Study (2008)
• An assessment of the Health and Safety Costs and Benefits of Manual vs Automated Waste Collections (updated March 2012)
• Health and Safety Survey (2015)
• Members of the public sleeping in Front End Load bins (fact sheet) (2016)
• Refuse transfer station edge protection (fact sheet) (2016)
• Health and Safety Guidelines for the Solid Waste and Resource Recovery Sector – parts one, two, three, four and five (2017)
• Code of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management (kerbside collection module) (2018)
• Good Practice Guidelines for Collecting Waste on Cycle Lanes (2018)

What training and resources are available for the industry?

Waste and Resource Recovery Industry Alerts

The waste and resource recovery industry undertakes a number of activities that have the potential to expose those completing the task, or those that could be impacted by the task, to health and safety risk.

There is benefit in sharing learnings from events, or improvements made to activities to improve health and safety across the waste industry.  These learnings will be made available to our members through the member only portal.

To ensure the information shared is of value, WasteMINZ has created a check list so you can see whether the alert you want to share will be accepted. Once you have completed the checklist this will tell you if you need to complete the Waste Industry Alert.

Kerbside Collection Traffic Leader (KCTL) training

There are two courses available.  The first is for new trainers who wish to hold a warrant to conduct KCTL training for their organisation or third party attendees.  The second is a KCTL refresher course – for existing trainers, which needs to be undertaken every three years. 

Historically, NZTA has been responsible for the facilitation and management of the KCTL training workshops, the maintenance and management of the database of trainers and warrant holders, and also the organisation of the actual workshops as required.

Following consultation with the waste industry and NZTA, it has been agreed that there is merit in WasteMINZ facilitating these courses, effective November 2020, as this would provide greater oversight and encourage industry input as to the content of the training material – to make sure it is fit for purpose and serves the specific needs of the waste collection industry.  Therefore below is the allocation of responsibilities. 

WasteMINZ is responsible for the following:

• Developing and maintaining training material
• Organising and running the KCTL Train the Trainer workshops for new trainers and KCTL refreshers for existing trainers
• Overseeing the ongoing performance of KCTL trainers

Waka Kotahi (NZ Transport Agency) is responsible for the following:

• Overseeing the Code of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management (CoPTTM) component of the training material
• Maintaining the register of KCTL trainers and issuing the KCTL Trainer warrant cards

Updated KCTL Train the Trainer Requirements

The H&S Sector Group Steering Committee met on the 19^th March 2021 and have approved the following changes to the KCTL Training pre-requisite’s with approval from NZTA and CoPTTM. These changes have been made to ensure that the waste industry needs are met and with consistent standards.  Please see below the pre-requisites for KCTL Internal and External training.

 Train the Trainer

There are two levels of KCTL Trainer:

• Trainers who ONLY deliver training internally for the company the trainer works for, and
• Trainers who deliver training and charge a fee for the service (Training Companies, those that deliver training for other companies)

To be able to train internally for a company, the trainer MUST:

• Be STMS trained to the level of road in which the waste activities are being undertaken on,
• Have at least 5 years waste industry experience,
• Complete a WasteMINZ KCTL Train the Trainer course before delivering training (if current KCTL train the trainer qualification has expired)
• Comply with all employer training requirements (company policies and procedures the trainer works for)
• Follow the WasteMINZ KCTL trainer code of conduct

PLEASE NOTE: if you’re running an internal workshop, you must notify WasteMINZ of the details.  Please contact sharmaine@wasteminz.org.nz

To be able to train externally, the trainer MUST:

• Be STMS trained to the level of road in which the waste activities are being undertaken on,
• Have at least 2 years waste industry (KCTL) training experience,
• Comply with the following Waka Kotahi (NZTA) training requirements:
  • Hold, or be working towards (to be gained within 12 months) a Level 4, or Level 5 Certificate in Adult and Tertiary Teaching
• Follow the WasteMINZ and Waka Kotahi trainer code of conduct

The next workshops will be held in November in Auckland and Christchurch.  

• Trainer Refresher: Auckland, 8 November, 9am-4pm
• Train the Trainer: Auckland, 9 November, 9am-4pm
• Trainer Refresher: Christchurch, 15 November, 9am-4pm
• Train the Trainer: Christchurch, 16 November, 9am-4pm

If you have any questions regarding the requirements to become a trainer, or to RSVP for a workshop, please contact Sharmaine Oakley:

• Email: sharmaine@wasteminz.org.nz
• Phone:  09 476 7163

New Zealand Transport Agency

CoPTTM

The New Zealand Transport Agency published the 4th edition of the Code of practice for temporary traffic management (CoPTTM) on 1 November 2012 and it can be downloaded from its website.

In particular, Section D7.3; Kerbside collection activities, affects a broad range of WasteMINZ members and the following should be noted:

• All drivers must be trained as a waste collection traffic leader (WCTL).
• Training for a WCTL is available through the CoPTTM training system.  Contact the NZTA for further information.
• WCTL is a unique qualification for the waste collection industry and must be renewed every three years.

The effective date for compliance with all vehicle and driver requirements in this section is 1 April 2013 and a list of accredited NZTA temporary traffic management trainers can be viewed here.

An operator information pack supplied by the New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA) contains information on the Operator Rating System, Toro (Transport Organisation Register Online), resolution processes, chain of responsibility, display of TSL labels and the Fleet Safety Programme. It can be viewed here. 

A basic guide to work time and rest time requirements and logbook standards for transport operators and drivers can be viewed here.

How can I access more information?

To find out more about this sector group or to join (so that you can receive information about the sector group), please contact our Sector Project and Membership coordinator Sharmaine Oakley or call her on 09 476 7163.