Page 5 - Work Force June 2016

A few precautions at home can help keep sanitation workers safe
We all know garbage and trash are messy and gross, and full of the sort of stuff we don’t want in our homes. That’s why we throw stuff away.
For most of us, once the trash is hauled to the curb or taken to the transfer station or landfill, that’s where it ends.
This is only the beginning for all the sanitation workers who have the difficult and dangerous job
of taking all that we dispose, and making it go away so our towns and cities are not overrun with pestilence and disease.
CSEA’s Slow Down to Go Around campaign is trying to raise awareness among motorists
June 2016
that sanitation workers and their vehicles are not arbitrary obstacles to be dismissed with unsafe driving practices. We can all practice safe, alert driving when workers whose jobs put them in harm’s way of moving vehicles are involved.
There are some things we can do at home to protect sanitation workers, too. Their job is to take everything we jettison as waste to a place or places where the public will be safely separated from the hazards of waste and refuse.
Imagine if your job was to dump containers of stuff into a truck and you had no idea what was in the bags and barrels until you were in the act of emptying them.
As consumers of sanitation services, we can help sanitation workers stay safe on the job with some simple practices. If your barrel is too heavy for you to
lift, chances are someone trying to empty it into a truck could be injured. Break the load down into two barrels or bag some of it, if your community allows bagging.
Properly dispose of household chemicals. A half bottle of something hazardous that you don’t want anymore can expose workers to dangerous fumes or splashes.
Sanitation workers can be exposed to asbestos from well-intentioned (or not) do-it-
yourselfers. And let’s face it: there are things that come from us and our pets that end up in the trash that should be properly bagged and sealed to prevent exposing workers to biological hazards.
Keep the area where you place your trash and recyclables clear of ice and snow, and provide safe access for workers. Keep your dog inside or on a leash.
Lastly, be nice. Should you happen to be out when your trash is being collected, say “hello”
and “thank you.” These are the people who are helping to keep our neighborhoods clean and safe and should be acknowledged for the hard work they do.
The Work Force 5