A rubbish truck driver reversed over and accidentally killed his colleague who had jumped off the vehicle to collect a bin.

The pair and another man were collecting rubbish in Sutton Rd, in Brookby, southeast of Auckland.

Constable Steve Carey, of the Counties Manukau serious crash unit, said the driver was reversing the truck about 10am and hit the worker, believed to be in his late teens or early 20s, who was dragged underneath.

Mr Carey said the man, who had not been named last night, died at the scene.