Safety

SWANA URGES HELPERS NOT TO RIDE ON STEPS WHEN TRUCKS ARE REVERSING FOLLOWING WORKER FATALITY

The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) has reminded all solid waste and recycling collection workers that riding on the riding steps, or the back of the truck, when the truck is backing is very dangerous and can lead to serious injury or fatality.

The warning followed a media report about an incident in Nassau Country, New York, in which a truck was backing onto a customer’s property when it was struck by a tractor trailer, resulting in the death of the solid waste collection employee who was riding on the back of the truck.

“We are saddened by this worker’s tragic death, which likely would have been prevented if he had not been riding on the outside of the truck when the collision took place,” stated David Biderman, SWANA Executive Director and CEO. “One of the most important rules in the waste industry is not to be riding on the outside of the truck when the truck is going backwards. It violates the applicable ANSI standard and is simply an unsafe practice.”