Partner Article

Binmen to tackle heavy workload

A council has asked householders to partially empty their own bins to prevent binmen hurting themselves.

Letters have been sent to residents in the Craven area of North Yorkshire asking them to remove a container for glass and cans from inside the bins, reports Ananova.

In a request to 9,500 householders involved in the council’s triple bin recycling scheme - where residents have a large main bin for paper and card, containing two 50-litre compartments for glass and cans, the letter states: “It would take a lot of strain out of the job for our staff”, adding it would reduce injury risks.

The council said a review of its health and safety procedures found lifting the rubbish was having a “negative effect” on its staff.

One resident, Julie Ward, 40, of Cross Hills, near Keighley, said: “When I think about it, I just crack up laughing. I think the binmen are being lazy.“It’s just so annoying that we’ve got to start doing half their job for them. They are worried that this work might hurt them, but I don’t think they’ve thought about how it might hurt a quite old person to pull these pods out.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .