Waste management firm Veolia is set to introduce a rehabilitation centre for injured staff in the South East.
The ‘wellness centre’ will provide free exercise and gym equipment to help speed up the recovery of workers injured through the course of their jobs. A drop-in clinic will also offer advice and information on stopping smoking, weight management, diabetes, heart disease and exercise.
Kat Konya, HR business partner for the South East, said: “The Wellness Centre is the first of its kind for Veolia and for the waste management industry. Our staff are our priority and it’s hugely important for us to understand the issues our staff face and put the right solutions in place.”
The centre will cost £35,000 to implement.
Injury rates from the waste and recycling industry have decreased since 2003-04, the Health and Safety Executive said. However, the latest statistics available, from 2007-08, revealed an injury rate of 2,207 reportable injuries per 100,000 workers – more than four times the ‘all industry average’ rate of 518.
It is also more than twice the reported injury rates for the manufacturing industries and construction.
The rehab clinic is a pilot scheme, thought to be expanded across Veolia sites if successful.
