Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has launched a road safety campaign urging motorists to slow down around refuse collection vehicles as schools reopen and traffic volumes increase across the district.

The campaign was developed in partnership with the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Policing and Community Safety Partnership. As outlined by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, it follows reports of dangerous driving around refuse collection vehicles, including unsafe overtaking and manoeuvres that place collection crews and other road users at risk.

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council provides refuse collection services across towns, villages and rural communities, with crews regularly working on busy roads, narrow routes and residential streets.

The health and safety significance lies in the nature of roadside waste collection. Refuse crews frequently step in and out of vehicles and work only a short distance from moving traffic, making the actions of passing motorists an important part of the risk environment.

For employers and waste management operators, protecting frontline workers requires more than vehicle safety procedures alone. Operational planning, driver awareness and clear risk controls must work alongside public cooperation when employees carry out essential services in live traffic environments.

The timing of the campaign also highlights how changing traffic conditions can affect workplace safety. The return to school brings additional vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and buses onto roads during peak collection periods, increasing the number of potential interactions around refuse vehicles.

The Council is encouraging drivers to slow down, remain patient and only overtake when it is safe and legal to do so. The campaign also reinforces the PSNI's Fatal Five road safety message, which addresses speeding, mobile phone use, seatbelts, driving under the influence and consideration for other road users.

For waste collection teams, these messages have a direct occupational safety dimension. A refuse vehicle can provide some protection, but collection staff must regularly move around the vehicle and work at the roadside, where unsafe overtaking or excessive speed can quickly increase the risk of a serious incident.

The campaign demonstrates the importance of recognising public-facing operational work as a shared safety responsibility. Employers can provide training, equipment and procedures, but risks cannot be fully controlled without safe behaviour from motorists and other road users.

As traffic volumes increase, the challenge for organisations operating roadside services is ensuring that risk assessments reflect the changing conditions faced by workers throughout the day. Fermanagh and Omagh District Council's campaign provides a timely reminder that frontline safety extends beyond the workplace itself.

For the sector, the lesson is direct: protecting workers in roadside environments requires shared responsibility. Safer driving, effective operational planning and greater awareness of frontline crews can help reduce risk and ensure essential services are delivered without compromising worker safety.

Source: Fermanagh and Omagh District Council