Monday, 28 March 2011 19:39
Domestic Waste Collection
In many locations domestic waste collection is performed by municipal employees. In others, by private
companies. This article provides an overview of processes and hazards that are based on observations and
experiences in the Province of Quebec, Canada. Editor.
Overview
Besides the few workers employed by municipalities in the Province of Quebec, Canada, that have their own
waste collection boards, thousands of waste collectors and drivers are employed in hundreds of companies in
the private sector.
Many private enterprises rely, either wholly or partially, upon jobbers who rent or own trucks and are responsible
for the collectors who work for them. Competition in the sector is high, as municipal contracts are awarded to the
lowest bidder, and there is a regular annual turnover of enterprises. The high competition also results in low and
stable domestic waste-collection rates, and waste collection accounts for the lowest proportion of municipal
taxes. However, as the existing landfills fill up, landfill costs rise, obliging municipalities to consider integrated
waste-management systems. All municipal workers are unionized. Unionization of private-sector workers began
in the 1980s, and 20 to 30% of them are now unionized.
Work Processes
Waste collection is a dangerous trade. If we recognize that garbage trucks are similar to hydraulic presses, it
follows that waste collection is like working on a mobile industrial press under conditions much more demanding
than those encountered in most factories. In waste collection, the machine travels through traffic in all seasons
and workers must feed it by running behind it and tossing irregular objects of variable volume and weight,
containing invisible and hazardous objects, into it. On average, collectors handle 2.4 tonnes of waste per hour.
The efficiency of waste collection operations is entirely dependent on determinants of work rate and rhythm. The
need to avoid rush-hour traffic and bridge line-ups creates time pressures at collection points and during
transport. Speed is again of importance during unloading at landfills and incinerators.
Several aspects of waste collection influence workload and hazards. First, remuneration is on a flat-rate basis,
that is, the territory specified by contract must be completely cleared of domestic waste on collection day. Since
the volume of waste depends on residents’ activities and varies from day to day and from season to season, the
workload varies enormously. Secondly, workers are in direct contact with the objects and waste collected. This is
quite different from the situation in the commercial and industrial waste-collection sectors, where waste-filled
containers are collected by either front-loading trucks equipped with automated fork-lifts or by roll-off trucks. This
means that workers in those sectors do not handle the waste containers and are not in direct contact with the
waste. Working conditions for these collectors therefore more closely resemble those of domestic waste drivers,
rather than domestic waste collectors.
Residential collection (also known as domestic collection) is, on the other hand, primarily manual, and workers
continue to handle a wide variety of objects and containers of variable size, nature and weight. A few suburban
and rural municipalities have implemented semi-automated collection, involving the use of mobile domestic
waste bins and side-loading collectors (figure 1). However, most domestic waste continues to be collected
manually, especially in cities. The principal characteristic of this job is thus significant physical exertion.
Figure 1. Automatic, side-loading refuse collector.
Pak Mor Manufacturing Company
Hazards
A study involving field observations and measurements, interviews with management and workers, statistical
analysis of 755 occupational accidents and analysis of video sequences revealed a number of potential hazards
(Bourdouxhe, Cloutier and Guertin 1992).
Workload
On average, waste collectors handle 16,000 kg spread out over 500 collection points every day, equivalent to a
collection density of 550 kg/km. Collection takes almost 6 hours, equivalent to 2.4 tonnes/hour, and involves
walking 11 km during a total work day of 9 hours. Collection speed averages 4.6 km/h, over a territory of almost
30 km of sidewalks, streets and lanes. Rest periods are limited to a few minutes precariously balanced on the
rear platform, or, in the case of driver-collectors of side-loading trucks, at the wheel. This demanding workload is
exacerbated by such factors as the frequency of truck dismounts and mounts, the distance covered, travel
modes, the static effort required to maintain one’s balance on the rear platform (a minimum of 13 kg of force), the
frequency of handling operations per unit time, the variety of postures required (bending movements), the
frequency of tosses and twisting movements of the trunk and the high collection rate per unit time in some
sectors. The fact that the Association française de normalisation (AFNOR) adapted weight standard for manual
handling was exceeded in 23% of observed trips is eloquent testimony of the impact of these factors. When
workers’ capacities (established to be 3.0 tonnes/hour for rear-loading trucks, and 1.9 tonnes/hour for side-
loading ones) are taken into account, the frequency with which the AFNOR standard is exceeded rises to 37%.
Diversity and nature of objects handled
Manipulation of objects and containers of variable weight and volume interrupts the smooth flow of operations
and breaks work rhythms. Objects in this category, often hidden by residents, include heavy, large or bulky
objects, sharp or pointed objects and hazardous materials. The most frequently encountered hazards are listed
in table 1.
Table 1. Hazardous objects found in domestic waste collections.
Glass, window panes, fluorescent tubing
Battery acid, cans of solvent or paint, aerosol containers, gas cylinders, motor oil
Construction waste, dust, plaster, sawdust, hearth cinders
Pieces of wood with nails in them
Syringes, medical waste
Garden waste, grass, rocks, earth
Furniture, electrical appliances, other large domestic trash
Pre-compacted waste (in apartment buildings)
Excessive numbers of small containers from small businesses and restaurants
Large amounts of vegetable and animal waste in rural sectors
Extra-large bags
Prohibited containers (e.g., no handles, excessive weight, 55-gallon oil drums, thin-necked drums, garbage cans
without covers)
Small, apparently light bags that are in fact heavy
Excessive numbers of small bags
Paper bags and boxes that rip
All waste that is hidden because of its excessive weight or toxicity, or that surprises unprepared workers
Commercial containers that must be emptied with an improvised system, which is often inappropriate and
dangerous
Workers are greatly helped by having residents sort waste into colour-coded bags and mobile domestic bins
which facilitate the collection and allow better control of work rhythm and effort.
Climatic conditions and the nature of objects transported
Wet paper bags and poor-quality plastic bags that rip and scatter their contents over the sidewalk, frozen
garbage cans and domestic bins stuck in snow banks can cause mishaps and dangerous recovery manoeuvres.
Work schedule
The need to rush, traffic problems, parked cars and crowded streets all can contribute to dangerous situations.
In an attempt to reduce their workload and maintain a high but constant work rhythm in the face of these
constraints, workers often attempt to save time or effort by adopting work strategies that may be hazardous. The
most commonly observed strategies included kicking bags or cardboard boxes towards the truck, zigzagging
across the road to collect from both sides of the street, grabbing bags while the truck is in motion, carrying bags
under the arm or against the body, using the thigh to help load bags and garbage cans, hand-picking of waste
scattered on the ground and manual compaction (pushing garbage overflowing the hopper with the hands when
the compacting system is incapable of processing the load rapidly enough). For example, in suburban collection
with a rear-loading truck, almost 1,500 situations were observed per hour that could result in accidents or
increase workload. These included:
53 mounts and dismounts from the truck’s rear platform
38 short runs
482 bending movements
203 tosses
159 twisting movements
277 potentially hazardous actions (including 255 work strategies aimed at reducing workload by saving time
or effort)
285 instances of increased workload, including 11 mishap- recovery activities
274 dangerous or heavy objects or containers.
Collection with side-loading trucks (see figure 1) or small mobile domestic bins reduces the manipulation of
heavy or dangerous objects and the frequency of situations that could result in accidents or an increase in
workload.
Use of public thoroughfares
The street is the collectors’ workplace. This exposes them to such hazards as vehicular traffic, blocked access to
residents’ waste receptacles, accumulation of water, snow, ice and neighbourhood dogs.
Vehicles
Rear-loading trucks (figure 2) often have excessively high or shallow steps and rear platforms that are difficult to
mount and render descents perilously similar to jumps. Hand-rails that are too high or too close to the truck body
only worsen the situation. These conditions increase the frequency of falls and of collisions with structures
adjacent to the rear platform. In addition, the upper edge of the hopper is very high, and shorter workers must
expend additional energy lifting objects into it from the ground. In some cases, workers use their legs or thighs
for support or additional power when loading the hopper.
Figure 2. Back-loading enclosed compactor truck.
National Safety Council (US) The packer-blade comes down within centimetres of the edge of the platform. The
blade has the capacity to cut protruding objects.
The characteristics of side-loading trucks and the operations related to their loading result in specific repetitive
movements likely to cause muscle and joint problems in the shoulder and upper back. Driver-collectors of side-
loading trucks have an additional constraint, as they must cope with both the physical strain of collection and the
mental strain of driving.
Personal protective equipment
While the theoretical value of PPE is beyond question, it may nevertheless prove inadequate in practice. In
concrete terms, the equipment may be inappropriate for the conditions under which collection is carried out.
Boots, in particular, are incompatible with the narrow utilizable height of rear platforms and the high work rhythm
necessitated by the manner in which collection is organized. Strong, puncture-resistant yet flexible gloves are
valuable in protecting against hand injuries.
Work organization
Some aspects of work organization increase workload and, by extension, hazards. In common with most flat-rate
situations, the main advantage to workers of this system is the ability to manage their work time and save time by
adopting a rapid work rhythm as they see fit. This explains why attempts, based on safety considerations, to slow
down the pace of work have been unsuccessful. Some work schedules exceed workers’ capacities.
The role of the myriad variations of residents’ behaviour in the creation of additional hazards merits a study in
itself. Prohibited or dangerous wastes skilfully hidden in regular waste, non-standard containers, excessively
large or heavy objects, disagreements over collection times and non-conformity with bylaws all increase the
number of hazards—and the potential for conflicts between residents and collectors. Collectors are often
reduced to the role of “garbage police”, educators and buffers between municipalities, enterprises and residents.
Collection of materials for recycling is not without its own problems despite a low waste density and collection
rates far below those of traditional collection (with the exception of the collection of leaves for composting). The
hourly frequency of situations that could result in accidents is often high. The fact that this is a new type of work
for which few workers have been trained should be borne in mind.
In several cases, workers are obliged to perform such dangerous activities as mounting the truck’s compaction
box to get into the compartments and move piles of paper and cardboard with their feet. Several work strategies
aimed at speeding up work rhythm have also been observed, e.g., hand re-sorting of the material to be recycled
and removing objects from the recycling box and carrying them to the truck, rather than carrying the box to the
truck. The frequency of mishaps and disruptions of normal work activity in this type of collection is particularly
high. These mishaps result from workers doing ad hoc activities that are themselves dangerous.
Occupational Accidents and Prevention
Domestic waste collection is a dangerous trade. Statistics support this impression. The average annual accident
rate in this industry, for all types of enterprise, truck and trade, is almost 80 accidents for every 2,000 hours of
collection. This is equivalent to 8 workers of every 10 suffering an injury at least once a year. Four accidents
occur for every 1,000 10-tonne truckloads. On average, each accident results in 10 lost workdays and accident
compensation of $820 (Canadian). Indices of injury frequency and severity vary among enterprises, with higher
rates observed in municipal enterprises (74 accidents/100 workers versus 57/100 workers in private enterprises)
(Bourdouxhe, Cloutier and Guertin 1992). The most common accidents are listed in table 2.
Table 2. Most common accidents in domestic waste collection, Quebec, Canada.
Injury Cause Per cent of accidents studied
Back or shoulder pain Tossing or twisting movements 19
during collection of bags
Back injuries Excessive efforts while lifting 18
objects
Ankle sprains Falls or slips while dismounting 18
from the truck or moving in its
vicinity
Crushed hands, fingers, arms Struck by containers or heavy 18
or knees objects, being caught between
the vehicle and containers, or
collisions with part of the
vehicle or parked cars
Hand and thigh lacerations of Glass, nails, or syringes, 15
variable depth occurring during hopper loading
Scrapes and bruises Contact or collisions 5
Eye or respiratory-tract irritation Dust or splashes of liquids 5
occurring during work near the
hopper during compaction
Other 2
Collectors typically suffer hand and thigh lacerations, drivers typically suffer sprained ankles resulting from falls
during cabin dismounts and driver-collectors of side-loading trucks typically suffer shoulder and upper back pain
resulting from tossing movements. The nature of the accidents also depends on the type of truck, although this
can also be seen as a reflection of the specific trades associated with rear- and side-loading trucks. These
differences are related to equipment design, the type of movements required and the nature and density of waste
collected in the sectors in which these two types of truck are used.
Prevention
The following are ten categories in which improvements could make domestic waste collection safer:
1. management of health and safety (for instance, the development of accident-prevention programmes based
on workers’ knowledge of occupational hazards which are better adapted to actual tasks)
2. training and hiring
3. work organization, organization of collection and workload
4. vehicles
5. training and work conditions of auxiliary, occasional and temporary workers
6. collection contracts
7. public management
8. collaboration between employer associations (municipal and private), workers and municipal or regional
decision-making bodies
9. stability of the workforce
10. research on personal protective equipment, ergonomic design of trucks, subcontracting jobbers and safety.
Conclusion
Domestic waste collection is an important but hazardous activity. Protection of workers is made more difficult
where this service is contracted out to private sector enterprises which, as in the province of Quebec, may
subcontract the work to many smaller jobbers. A large number of ergonomic and accident hazards, compounded
by work quotas, adverse weather and local street and traffic problems must be confronted and controlled if
workers’ health and safety are to be maintained.
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