With motorists rushing or distracted by their cell phones while driving, solid waste collection workers and vehicles need to be safety aware all the time on the route. In Wisconsin, a driver servicing a residential customer on a recent Saturday morning was struck by a car and pinned to his truck. The 21 year old motorist allegedly did not clear…
Federal investigators have a clearer picture of what happened in the moments leading up to a May 28 freight train-garbage truck crash after analyzing footage from a camera mounted on the front of the train and surveillance video from a nearby business, according to ABC News. “Seventeen seconds before the collision, [the] train horn blasts begin … We are able…
We’ve all heard the claims that running tires underinflated hurts fuel economy (1 to 1.5% for every 10% under, they say), increases tire wear and wrecks casings. So what is underinflated? By definition, it’s any pressure less than the minimum recommended for the tire load. For example, a steer tire with a load of 6,000 pounds would be underinflated at…
Most companies have plans in place for managing summer heat – OSHA even has a Campaign to Prevent Heat Illness – but most organizations do not have programs for managing the cold. Employers are required to perform a job hazard analysis, including identifying cold weather-related hazards. Companies should also train employees to identify symptoms related to cold weather exposure. Frostbite…
From the Headlines: A scientist visiting the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from Japan was killed by a garbage truck while riding her bicycle in Boston. A bicyclists in her 50s or 60s was struck by a vehicle and run over by a garbage truck in Manhattan. A New Jersey woman died after being hit by a garbage truck in a…
Aggressive driving behaviors can include speeding, frequent and unnecessary lane changes, tailgating, and running red or yellow lights. Road rage is different from aggressive driving in that it involves using a vehicle as a weapon against another driver. Incidents that lead to aggressive driving behavior often are often trivial in nature, and not something you might think would cause the…
The ANSI Z245 Standards are national industry standards for waste and recycling equipment, facilities, and operations. Some safety procedures and practices to keep in mind as you and your employees begin their workday: Be familiar with the manufacturer’s operator’s manual and operate all equipment in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Do not direct your attention from assigned duties. Use the…
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has announced that Brake Safety Week 2014 will take place Sept. 7-13, 2014. Brake Safety Week is part of the week-long Operation Airbrake program, jointly sponsored by CVSA and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. CVSA says it expects more than 30,000 brake inspections to take place during the week, which would be a…
A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) provides a certain level of freedom, but also carries tremendous responsibility. When driving a 10,000 pound truck, responsibility comes in many forms, including: Focusing on the road at all times Driving defensively Following the rules of the road The role of a driver with a CDL is not only to run a collection route and/or…
