Street cleaners suffer physical and verbal abuse

Over two thirds of the UK’s street cleaners have faced physical or verbal abuse, while carrying out their job, a new report has claimed.

The report, by the British Cleaning Council (BCC), found that some street cleaners had faced attacks with guns, knives and drug needles.

The study, published in conjunction with anti-litter charity, Keep Britain Tidy, also found that the assaults took place at all times during the day and happened in a variety of locations, ranging from residential areas to bus stations.

One in five cleaners had been injured in violent physical assaults, the report found, although the figure rose to more than a third in Wales. According to the study, one council in the Midlands reported that two refuse collectors had been shot at with guns on two separate occasions.

The study also found that workers often faced abuse over untidy streets, as well as complaints from drivers because refuse wagons or mechanical sweepers were getting in the way of traffic.

Over half of those cleaners questioned said that they faced ongoing verbal assaults from the public and the BCC said that it believed the real figure could be much higher, because many incidents were not reported.

Judith West, Chair of BCC, said: “We are outraged to hear of the cowardly behaviour and mentality of those prepared to harass our street cleaners. What is even more devastating is that many cleaners believe that being assaulted is all part and parcel of the job!

“Cleaners deserve our utmost respect. They work in our neighbourhoods in all sorts of weather, despite many being undervalued and untrained. It is simply not good enough that this is happening. While we welcome the news that 93% of the councils questioned have a procedure in place for reports of assaults, more action needs to be taken to stamp out this idiotic behaviour.”

Alan Woods, Chief Executive of Keep Britain Tidy, said: “Street cleaners are national heroes, braving all kinds of conditions to shift other people’s rubbish. Those who abuse them ought to consider that the person they are attacking is someone’s mother, brother or even grandparent.”

Mr Woods said that every council needed to adopt a procedure to record complaints and ensure every cleaner is trained in dealing with conflict in the street.

(KMcA/SP)