Veolia has won the inaugural British Safety Council Innovation in Health Award for its Injury Prevention Programme supporting municipal waste collection teams.
The award, presented in partnership with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), recognises initiatives that demonstrate measurable impact on preventing work-related health issues.
As part of the programme, which is delivered with occupational physiotherapy company Back in Action UK, physiotherapists work alongside crews on their rounds, observing tasks and delivering interventions in real-world conditions.
Richard Hulland, Chief Risk & Assurance Officer, Northern Europe at Veolia UK, commented: “This award is testament to the partnership we have forged with Back In Action UK, who have been intrinsic in supporting our frontline staff and providing top-tier care when needed.”
“Veolia always looks for new and innovative ways to improve the health and wellbeing of our teams and through this prevention programme this has become a reality and one which our people are benefitting from.”
Given the nature of its frontline staff’s work, Veolia says it has historically experienced a high degree of injuries.
However, since the programme’s launch three years ago, Veolia says it has seen a 30% decrease in manual handling injuries at participating sites, and supported over 1,200 frontline employees.
Following pilots with our Westminster, Southwark and South Bucks teams during 2021/22, Veolia launched the Injury Prevention Programme, combining several core elements, including:
- Job-specific training delivered during actual collections
- Musculoskeletal screening
- Personalised technique variations
- Injury prevention education
- Warm-up programmes
Commenting on the award, Matt Taylor, Managing Director of Back In Action, said: “What makes the Injury Prevention Programme different is its focus on prevention rather than relying on reactive interventions. We’ve combined clinical expertise with real-time insight to identify risk early and stop issues developing in the first place.”
“Together with Veolia, we haven’t just delivered a programme or ticked a box; we have made a meaningful difference to the health, resilience, and wellbeing of Veolia’s workforce, which is something we are immensely proud of.”
Veolia marks ‘High-Viz Heroes’ Day, highlighting abuse to frontline staff
Last month, Veolia also marked its first ‘High-Viz Heroes Day’ to recognise and thank the essential workers in the resource and waste sector.
Ahead of the day, residents and businesses were asked to share their stories, drawings, and words of thanks. Veolia shared these compliments across social media, on its website, and with frontline teams.
The resource management company said the day aims to ‘flip the script’ for its teams, who face daily challenges, including verbal abuse and aggressive behaviour that impacts their wellbeing.
In 2025, Veolia recorded 490 cases of abuse towards staff, which included 38 physical attacks alongside verbal abuse, with more incidents likely going unreported.
The celebration day builds on Veolia’s existing StreetKind and SiteKind campaigns, first launched in 2021, which raise awareness of abuse and thank the residents who treat frontline workers with respect.