Safety Matters

SWANA Joins OSHA Region 2 Alliance

SWANA, SWANA’s New Jersey and New York State Chapters, and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Regional Office in New York have signed a Regional Alliance agreement to help protect workers from health and safety hazards present in all aspects of the solid waste industry.

This two-year agreement will allow the Chapters and the Regional Office to collaborate on outreach, training, and other projects to improve industry safety throughout the region. A representative from OSHA will be participating in upcoming New York and New Jersey Chapter conferences as one outcome of the agreement.

OSHA Regional Administrator Richard Mendelson, SWANA CEO & Executive Director David Biderman, SWANA New Jersey Chapter President Brain E. Henning, and SWANA New York Chapter President Luann Meyer signed the two-year agreement during a virtual ceremony on April 14, 2022. The Alliance will work to reduce and prevent exposure to transportation hazards, such as backovers and distracted driving; slips, trips, and falls; needlestick injuries; heat and cold stress; musculoskeletal injuries; and other topics, with particular emphasis on outreach to small and medium-sized employers.

“We are excited to be working with OSHA at the regional level to reduce the frequency of worker fatalities and injuries in New York and New Jersey,” stated David Biderman, SWANA Executive Director. “There have been two fatal incidents in New Jersey over the past nine months that could have been prevented through better safety education, training, and communications. This Regional Alliance will help SWANA expand its safety outreach to small haulers and others.”

“Public-private sector partnerships focused on worker safety and health training at all levels are a proven method to enhance worker safety in the waste collection industry,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Mendelson in New York, New York. “Partnerships like these make a significant difference in ensuring workers can thrive in a culture of safety.”

“The New Jersey Chapter of SWANA is honored to be partnered with OSHA’s Regional NY Office and our sister Chapter in NY State. This relationship brings together three organizations that are committed to safety and to promoting a safe work environment for all those working in the solid waste industry,” said Henning. “Our collective goal is to ensure that our workers are properly trained, educated, and informed about the many risks in the solid waste industry so they can return home safely to their families at the end of each workday. This Alliance is another step in the right direction for our industry!”

“The SWANA-NY Chapter is thrilled to sign onto this Regional Alliance with OSHA,” stated Meyer. “We are supportive of new and innovative ways to get the safety message out to our industry’s workers so that they can arrive home safely every day. Unfortunately, New York has seen too many injuries and fatalities occur in our industry and we want to strive to make that number zero. This Alliance will help us to reach that goal.”

This Alliance with the OSHA Regional Office in New York is another step in SWANA’s commitment to reduce worker injuries and fatalities through awareness, training, and education.

Accidents in the News
Through March 31

Kansas City, MO – Two workers died and another was injured when their garbage truck overturned and caught fire while going down an exit ramp. MORE

Bartow, FL – A worker driving a bulldozer up an embankment with the blade elevated ran over a porta-potty, killing the 40-year-old worker inside at the time. MORE

Brooklyn, NY – At around 3:30 PM, a C&D truck struck a 62-year-old pedestrian crossing midblock. MORE

Hartford, CT – A 69-year-old pedestrian was killed when he was struck by a garbage truck. MORE

Manatee County, FL – A worker died when the garbage truck he was in overturned and hit a utility pole while trying to make a left turn. MORE

Salt Lake City, UT – Two people died when their vehicle crossed the centerline and collided with an oncoming garbage truck. MORE

National Emphasis Program to Protect Workers from Indoor and Outdoor Heat Hazards

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has launched a National Emphasis Program to protect workers from heat illness and injuries. As part of the program, OSHA will proactively initiate inspections in over 70 high-risk industries in indoor and outdoor work settings when the National Weather Service has issued a heat warning or advisory for a local area. On days when the heat index is 80^° F or higher, OSHA inspectors and compliance assistance specialists will engage in proactive outreach and technical assistance to help stakeholders keep workers safe on the job. Inspectors will look for and address heat hazards during inspections, regardless of whether the industry is targeted in the NEP.

OSHA’s area offices will engage in outreach to unions, employers in target industries and other organizations committed to advancing protections for underserved workers. The agency’s On-Site Consultation Program, a free and confidential health and safety consulting program for small- and medium-sized businesses, will assist employers in developing strategic approaches for addressing heat-related illnesses and injuries in workplaces.

In addition, the agency will hold a public stakeholder meeting on May 3, 2022, to discuss OSHA’s ongoing activities to protect workers from heat-related hazards, including the Heat Illness Prevention Campaign, compliance assistance activities and enforcement efforts. You can register for the event here.

For more information, see the working in outdoor and indoor heat environments.

Upcoming Safety Events

National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls
National
May 2 – 6, 2022
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National Safety Month
National
June 2022
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Safe + Sound Week
National
August 15 – 21, 2022
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Safety Summit @ WASTECON
San Diego, CA
December 5 – 8, 2022
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