Recovered paper sector manager at the CPI, Peter Seggie, told printweek.com the leading cause of injury was "slips and trips", which accounted for 45% of all reported injuries.

"You're dealing with material that's on the floor for at least some of the time," said Seggie. "Paper, especially magazine paper, tends to be quite slippery and you also can have hidden dangers, like books hiding under the paper, making it quite easy to turn an ankle."

The CPI Recovered Paper Sector members' overall injury rate for the full calendar year of 2007 was 1,832 per 100,000 employees, down 11% from 2006.

There was only one major injury reported in 2007. This represents a 78% reduction on the incidence rate of 2006.

The injury rate is significantly lower than publicly available figures on the general waste recycling industry.

Seggie said the CPI supported the industry through the provision of advice and resources but the improvements were driven by the sustained focus on safety by senior management at member companies.

"When we first started, the rates went up because of better reporting but now we've started to see a fall, and the aim is continuous improvement," he said.

CPI's Recovered Paper Sector provides a detailed programme on health and safety, working alongside the Health & Safety Executive and other sectors under the umbrella of the Paper and Board Industry Advisory Committee (PABIAC).

PABIAC is to launch a strategic programme in 2008, which will set targets for the entire paper industry to further reduce accidents and improve health and safety through to 2011. The Recovered Paper Sector will be actively involved in its implementation.