Deal with litter, waste and pollution incidents

This standard covers the activities required to keep sites safe and tidy by dealing with litter, waste and pollution incidents. This includes litter, waste and pollution left by the public and that created by your own work activities.

You must be able to recognise hazards associated with various types of materials and take the appropriate measures to maintain your safety.

This involves identifying different types of litter and waste and using safe methods of handling to segregate it into designated categories, dealing with sharps and other hazardous materials and minimising environmental damage.

It also includes controlling pollution incidents involving oils, fuel, chemicals or silt and may include removal of contaminated material.

Dealing with litter, waste and pollution incidents may involve informing and working alongside other organisations.

You could be working to a given specification that defines the methods to be used but you will be expected to determine how to carry out these methods on site.

When working with equipment and machinery or chemicals you must be appropriately trained, and hold current certification, where required, in line with the relevant legislation.

Your work must conform to all relevant legislation and codes of practice, industry standards and guidance.

Core requirements and responsibilities

1. obtain the relevant information to carry out the work activities in accordance with organisational procedures
2. maintain the health and safety of yourself and others at all times, in accordance with the relevant legislation and codes of practice
3. assess the risks associated with the site and the work to be carried out, including the risks from hazardous substances, before starting work and throughout the activity
4. take the appropriate measures to protect and maintain the safety of the public from a waste or pollution incident, where required
5. use appropriate methods to maintain effective communication with colleagues, the public and any other agencies involved in the waste or pollution incident, in accordance with organisational procedures
6. confirm that relevant training and certification is in place to undertake the work to be carried out
7. confirm that the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for the work to be carried out is worn at all times
8. take the appropriate action to minimise environmental damage caused by litter, waste and pollution, in accordance with legal requirements and organisational procedures
9. implement best practice approaches to sustainability that are appropriate for the work being carried out
10. deal effectively with issues that arise within the scope and limitations of your responsibilities and report issues that cannot be resolved, in accordance with organisational procedures
11. complete and store all relevant documentation in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and organisational procedures

Deal with litter and waste

1. examine the litter or waste to establish the action required
2. report incidents of fly-tipping and hazardous waste left by the public to the relevant authorities, where required, and seek advice and assistance
3. identify and segregate different types of litter and waste in accordance with legal and local authority requirements and organisational procedures
4. use safe handling techniques to minimise health and safety risks when handling different types of litter and waste
5. recognise where waste can be reused or recycled
6. deal with different types of litter and waste in accordance with legal and local authority requirements and organisational procedures

Deal with pollution incidents

1. identify the nature, extent and potential impact of the pollution incident
2. take the relevant action to prevent further pollution from the incident
3. inform others who may be affected by the pollution incident
4. select the appropriate measures to control the pollution incident, in accordance with the assessed risks and the nature of the incident
5. consider the environmental impact when selecting control measures
6. select, prepare, use, maintain and store the equipment and machinery used in pollution control safely, in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and manufacturer's instructions
7. deal with the pollution incident using suitable materials, equipment and machinery, in accordance with the legal requirements and organisational procedures
8. note any changes to the scale or nature of the pollution incident and report these in accordance with organisational procedures
9. dispose of used pollution control materials in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and organisational procedures
10. remove contaminated soil or other material from the pollution incident area where required, and deal with it in accordance with legal requirements and organisational procedures

Core requirements and responsibilities

1. how to identify and access information relevant to the required work
2. how to identify hazards and assess the risks associated with the site and the work to be carried out and the importance of a site-specific risk assessment and control measures that are appropriate for your area of work
3. the importance of identifying the hazards and risks from hazardous substances
4. the relevant health and safety procedures and Safe Systems of Work (SSoW)
5. the legal, industry and organisational requirements for training and certification to undertake the work activities required
6. the measures that can be taken to protect and maintain the safety of the public from a waste or pollution incident, such as signs and barriers, and when these are required
7. why it is important to maintain effective communication with colleagues, the public and any other agencies involved in the waste or pollution incident, and the methods of communication that should be used
8. the tools, equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) required for the work and how to select, prepare, use, carry out operator maintenance and store these safely, in accordance with the relevant legal requirements, manufacturer’s instructions, and organisational procedures
9. the potential impact of litter, waste and pollution on the environment and how this can be minimised
10. your and the organisation’s responsibility for protecting the environment and working sustainably
11. the issues that can occur when dealing with litter, waste and pollution incidents, the actions to take and organisational procedures for reporting issues that cannot be resolved
12. the legal and organisational requirements for the completion and storage of documentation

Deal with litter and waste

1. the hazards that are associated with different types of litter and waste
2. the safe handling techniques and the correct selection and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) when dealing with different types of litter and waste
3. the types of litter and waste that could be encountered, what needs to be reported, who to and how, the evidence that should be retained, and where to seek advice and assistance
4. why waste needs to be segregated correctly and the designated categories for recycling and disposal that are recognised by your local authority and available at your place of work
5. the legal requirements relating to certain types of litter and waste
6. the specific requirements for handling different types of litter and waste, including sharps and other hazardous materials and controlled waste
7. the requirements of the local authority  and organisational procedures for dealing with fly-tipping and other bulky waste

Deal with pollution incidents

1. the importance of taking action to prevent further pollution from the incident and what can be done
2. who needs to be informed about the pollution incident and how this should be done
3. the potential impact on watercourses where they are affected by the pollution incident, and the importance of informing downstream receptors of the water
4. the materials, equipment and machinery that can be used to help control pollution incidents
5. when specialist contractors may be required to deal with a pollution incident
6. how high-pressure, low-water-volume sprays are used in controlling pollution incidents and pollutants
7. the use of absorbent materials to control surface-borne pollutants
8. the impact of fuels, oils, chemicals and silt as pollutants
9. the implications of terrain, ground conditions, vegetation type, season and weather on pollution incidents
10. the correct methods for disposing of pollution-control materials
11. the importance of checking how well the pollution-control measures have worked
12. when to report pollution incidents, how to do this and the penalties that could be incurred for causing pollution
13. when contaminated soil or other material needs to be removed from the pollution site and the procedures to follow for doing this
14. the importance of completing records of the incident and the control measures taken, in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and organisational procedures

Organisational procedures refer to procedures set by the organisation you are employed by or the organisation that you are doing the work on behalf of (the client or customer)

Pollutant-control measures include:
•  constructing barrier ditches
•  constructing barrier booms
•  use of absorbent materials
•  use of water sprays
•  use of flocculant blocks/granules
 
Types of pollutants include:

• oils and fuels
• chemicals
• silt

Types of waste include:

• liquids – including oil and fuel
• solids
• organic
• recyclable
• hazardous – flammable, explosive, oxidising, corrosive, toxic, health hazards, sharps, environmental hazards
• controlled waste, including Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS)
• bulky – including fly-tipping