In January 2024, the Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum (WISH) released new guidance in response to concerns that refuse collection vehicle (RCV) bin lifts, when in automatic mode, may not properly differentiate between a person and a bin. This could cause the lift mechanism to activate if an individual gets too close to sensors or switches — potentially leading to serious injury.
Historically, several fatal accidents have been associated with RCV bin lifts, making this a significant health and safety concern for operators and workers in the waste collection sector.
Updated Guidance and FAQs
WISH has recently updated its guidance and published a new set of frequently asked questions to address common concerns around bin lift safety.
INFO 26: Safety in the Operation of Automatic Bin Lifting Equipment
This guide highlights the key risks associated with automatic bin lifts on RCVs and outlines both physical and procedural control measures that can reduce those risks. The full document is available from the WISH website.
REF 13: FAQs on Safe Use of Automatic Bin Lifts
This publication contains answers to twelve frequently asked questions related to the safe operation of RCV bin lift systems. You can download it from the WISH support page.
