Depot probed after binman died of virus
Inspectors find lack of COVID procedures in place
Perth and Kinross Council is conducting a COVID safety review after it was blasted for a catalogue of failures at Crieff Recycling Centre following the death of a binman who was based there.
Scott Hunter (52) died last month at the end of an 18-day battle with coronavirus in the intensive care unit at Ninewells Hospital.
Scott, from Auchterarder, was one of three employees at the North Forr Centre who tested positive for the virus at the beginning of the year.
Scott had worked there for nearly 30 years and was described by his heartbroken family as “the best dad and papa”.
It has emerged that, just days after his death, Mr Hunter’s workplace was visited by a senior health and safety executive (HSE) officer as part of an investigation into concerns over COVID-19 controls, which were raised by a staff member last year.
HM inspector of health and safety Michelle Gillies noted a long list of “contraventions of health and safety law” including a lack of cleaning procedures and staff training to combat COVID, a lack of hand gel provision and no social distancing measures instilled in bin lorries.
The inspector’s findings also highlighted that the three positive COVID cases were not reported to the council’s corporate health, safety and wellbeing team so close contacts could be traced.
There was no deep cleaning of shared work vehicles, site buildings or areas of the yard following the positive cases and the shared lorries continued to be used by staff.
The report added that any procedures put in place to minimise virus spread had not been “effectively communicated” down the management chain to employees at the site.
Facilities and offices were cleaned three days a week, but government guidelines state it should be twice per day.
Staff complained of receiving no formal training, as well as no hand gel being provided for employees, despite requests for dispensers.
Complaints were also made about the inability of drivers and passengers to stay at a safe distance in lorries, which will be investigated by PKC’s corporate health team.
Perthshire South and Kinross-shire MSP Roseanna Cunningham MSP has now written to the chief executive of Perth and Kinross expressing her concerns.
She said: “The council has been told to review procedures and training, and confirm an action plan to the HSE by February 26 but I know that my constituents – particularly those working at the centre - will be anxious to know that immediate action has been taken to address the concerns raised.”
A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson said the visit was made after concerns were raised last year and that it has not yet been determined whether cases at the depot in January are work-related or not.
“The safety of our staff is our priority and we take all practical measures to protect them from COVID-19,” the spokesperson said.
“We welcome the HSE’s involvement and will use their findings to help us improve our processes at the Crieff site.
“We are conducting a further review of the procedures and training in line with their advice to ensure full compliance with government guidelines and health and safety legislation.
“COVID cases remain very low within Perth and Kinross Council’s operational depots and continue to demonstrate the effectiveness of the arrangements we have had in place since March last year.
“All of our staff, across all of our services, have been reminded of the importance of following all public health advice in order to minimise transmission of coronavirus as much as possible, both at work and within their communities.”