Accidents in the News

Through 1/31/21

Each month in this newsletter we provide a list of Accidents in the News. This section highlights the fatal incidents that occurred in the U.S. and Canada the previous month. This isn’t meant to shame any company or municipality but is an effective way to remind members of how dangerous this industry continues to be and to provide insight into the leading causes of fatal incidents involving solid waste trucks, employees, and facilities.

Far too many workers and members of the public are killed in solid-waste related events each year. Ultimately, these terrible tragedies could have been prevented. By sharing these stories, SWANA hopes to inspire a conversation and motivate a real culture change in our industry – in both the public and private sector.

This month we will do a deep dive into a fatal incident that occurred on January 19 in central Florida, in Marion County. This collision between a garbage truck and a pick-up truck resulted in the death of two passengers in the pick-up -- a 41-year-old man and a 2-year-old child. The pickup was driven by a 40-year-old woman who was traveling on County Road 328 at around 6:45 a.m. This was 30 minutes before sunrise.

A small, private hauler was stopped for collection on the road in front of a residential driveway. The pickup truck driver apparently failed to see the collection vehicle and crashed into the back of it, killing her two passengers. The adult passenger was not wearing a seat belt and the child was not properly restrained. The driver was listed in serious condition. Two collection workers who were near the rear of the garbage truck saw the oncoming vehicle and dived onto the shoulder. No worker injuries were reported. 

What lessons can this incident teach us? While we are not commenting on the specifics of this case, it can remind us of the types of dangers facing collection workers. First, this collision highlights how important visibility is, both for the truck and the workers. Workers must always wear PPE, especially high visibility vests and/or outerwear. This is so important, it’s the very first rule on SWANA’s 5 to Stay Alive: Safety Tips for Collection Employees. Front line workers often wear dark clothing due to the dirty nature of the job, which is why it is even more important that hi viz is used. Making sure the truck is visible is critically important, too. All lights should be functioning and clear of dirt and grime. Adding reflective elements to the vehicle can also increase visibility.

Note this incident occurred before sunrise. Collection often occurs in low-light conditions, whether due to weather conditions or the time of day. Ensure that your workers and vehicles are visible in those circumstances as well.

There is a lesson here about the importance of situational awareness as well. The two workers were not injured because they were able to move out of the way of the oncoming vehicle. It is easy to “zone out” when doing a repetitive task (like emptying carts). Workers should be in the habit of regularly pausing to make a quick assessment of the environment. When working in or around a roadway, even a moment of not paying attention can have fatal consequences.

These tips can help you and your team learn from this incident and apply lessons to your own work. If you are interested in learning more about industry fatalities and what we can learn from them, join us for the SWANA Safety Summit during which Jesse Maxwell will dive into the 2020 industry fatality data and share important trends. 

Simpsonville, SC – At around 8:30 a.m. the driver of an SUV crashed into the back of a stopped collection vehicle. The SUV driver was killed, but no collection workers were injured. A helper that was moving towards the rear of the truck during the stop noticed the oncoming vehicle and was able to avoid the collision. MORE

Greenville, SC – A 21-year-old was killed when his vehicle was struck by a garbage truck. The truck was turning left when the 21-year-old’s vehicle traveling from the oncoming direction was struck by it. MORE

Cocoa, FL – A 27-year-old motorcyclist was killed in a collision with a garbage truck. The motorcyclist attempted to turn right on red and turned into the direct path of a box truck out for container delivery. MORE

Belleville, NJ – Shortly before noon, a 44-year-old pedestrian was struck and killed by a waste vehicle at an intersection. MORE