Safety Matters

September is National Preparedness Month

Each September we observe National Preparedness Month to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. The recent arrival of Tropical Storm Henri in the northeast United States and devastating floods in Tennessee are reminders of the importance of preparation. The ongoing pandemic has also taught us all the need to plan, even for the unimaginable. As an essential service, the solid waste industry must find ways to respond to and continue operating under any conditions.

SWANA provides a number of diverse resources specific to the industry on its Natural Disaster Resources page. These include ones developed by SWANA Chapters and the SWANA Applied Research Foundation in response to previous major incidents.

There is also an opportunity to learn more about the industry response to COVID-19 and how it has changed the way we prepare for the unknown during the Safety Summit session at WASTECON^®, COVID-19 – What We’ve Learned and What That Means for the Future, on November 2. Industry leaders will discuss how they have managed operations, lessons learned, and additional changes the industry can expect.

New EPA Report on Lithium-Ion Battery Fires in Waste Management & Recycling

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a report on fires started by lithium-ion batteries at waste management facilities. EPA’s analysis found that at least 245 fires occurred at recycling centers, landfills, and other waste management facilities between 2013 and 2020, though the actual number of fires is most likely much larger.

The report also highlights the negative impacts of fires ignited by lithium-ion batteries in the waste stream. These fires threaten worker safety, create air pollution, and decrease the efficiency of recycling by driving up costs and disrupting operations. More broadly, improper disposal of lithium-ion batteries also causes valuable metals inside the batteries to get landfilled or incinerated instead of being recycled into new batteries.

Due to increased consumer adoption of portable electronics, lithium-ion batteries will continue to become more prevalent in the waste management process, and the number of fire incidents could also increase.  As this report illustrates, the fire risk is significant.  EPA continues working to address these end-of-life issues through public awareness efforts and additional stakeholder outreach and collaboration.

More information about the report and proper recycling of lithium-ion batteries, long with the full text of the report, can be found on EPA’s website.

Heat Illness

Recent stories by NPR and The Pew Charitable Trusts have highlighted the ongoing dangers workers face from heat illness. At least 384 workers died from environmental heat exposure in the U.S. in the last decade, with thousands more getting sick. OSHA has announced it will begin exploring the possibility of creating a heat standard, but regardless there is much that can and should be done to protect workers. Under OSHA law, employers are responsible for providing workplaces free of known safety hazards. This includes protecting workers from extreme heat. An employer with workers exposed to high temperatures should establish a complete heat illness prevention program.

OSHA has recently published a Heat Illness Prevention at Work pamphlet [ EN/ SP] and updated poster [ EN/ SP] that explains how workers can protect themselves and provide first aid to others if necessary. And an OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool App is available for anyone to download to help plan outdoor work activities based on how hot it feels throughout the day. It features real-time heat index and hourly forecasts, specific to your location, as well as occupational safety and health recommendations from OSHA and NIOSH.

Updated Small Business Handbook

OSHA and NIOSH have collaborated to issue an updated workplace safety and health handbook for small businesses.  The Small Business Safety and Health Handbook highlights the benefits of implementing an effective safety and health program, provides self-inspection checklists for employers to identify workplace hazards, and reviews workplace safety and health resources for small businesses. 

The self-inspection checklists are designed to help general industry employers identify workplace hazards and where to take action to make their workplaces safer and more healthful for their employees.

Upcoming Safety Events

Ontario Chapter Landfill Fire Safety Training
November 9 – 10, 2021
Online
Click here for more info>>

Safety Summit @ WASTECON 2021
November 1 – 4, 2021
Orlando, Florida
Click here for more info>>

SWANA Canadian Safety Summit
November 23 & 24, 2021
Online
More info to come