Blog

By David Biderman, Executive Director & CEO of
The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA)

When I tell people who are not in the solid waste industry that refuse and recycling collection is the 5^th most deadly job in the United States, they are almost always amazed. The public doesn’t realize that thousands of men and women are putting their lives on the line each day to take care of their garbage.

But to those who work the routes or send employees out each day, the dangers of the job are far too real. In 2016 alone, SWANA recorded 46 worker fatalities in the US, half of which were drivers and helpers out collecting garbage. It is simply unacceptable to have so many people die on the job. These are parents, grandparents, spouses, sons and daughters who are not coming home to their families at the end of the day.

World of Concrete is the top event for concrete and masonry professionals and this year’s show was the largest in seven years. With over 60,000 attendees and 1,500 exhibitors, the show grew substantially from its 2015 numbers.  

Not only are attendees able to check out the latest equipment offerings, concrete, construction, and engineering professionals are also able to take care of their continuing education while attending the show. From interactive workshops and specialized seminars to hands-on skill-building sessions, World of Concrete’s world-class education program equips field personnel, project leaders, supervisors and owners with the latest knowledge in every facet of the professional concrete business.

One thing is certain, one day your organization will be faced with litigation as a result of an accident that involves your fleet. The severity of the accident, where it occurred and the circumstances surrounding the collision will be analyzed to prove any negligence committed by you, the carrier and/or the operator.

John Cruickshank, an attorney with Alaniz and Schraeder, recently participated on a panel with PRECO Electronics and shared his belief that “a lawsuit avoided is better than a lawsuit won.” It is with this belief that we put forth below our Top 5 Tips for avoiding accidents and litigation.

Every operator is responsible for their vehicle and the surrounding environment.  Simply going through the motions, regardless of the industry, is no longer an option.  The ramifications are significant and can result in loss of life, financial loss, and/or shutting down of the workplace.

These are the pressures of the job that an operator faces on a daily basis!

Safety technology education at the operator level is paramount to the success of any organization’s use of heavy-duty equipment. 

A recent article profiled “MyCarDoesWhat.org,” a new website aimed at educating the average consumer in terms of the safety technology that is a part of new cars.  The technology ranges from backup cameras, blind spot monitoring, forward collision warning systems, anti-locking braking systems, as well as a host of other technology that is focused on making driving safer.  The introduction of MyCarDoesWhat.org is a part of larger national education campaign that is being launched later this year as a collaborative effort with the University of Iowa and the National Safety Council.