Commentary: Waste Collection is More Dangerous than Ever. Take Proactive Steps.

Commentary: Waste Collection is More Dangerous than Ever. Take Proactive Steps to Address the Problem

Published Online: December 26, 2024

Written by: David Biderman

The federal government’s most recent occupational safety data for the solid waste industry came out on December 19th, and the news was not good. The category of “refuse and recyclable material collectors” rose from 7th to 4th on the list of occupations with high workplace fatality rates. The number of recorded collection fatalities increased to 41 and reflects an 83 percent increase over the prior year. There was also an uptick in fatalities for landfill employees (3) and material recovery facilities (9).

Solid waste collection workers have fluctuated between the 5th and 9th most dangerous job in the country for the past decade. This new Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data is the first time the industry has ever been as high as number 4. The fatality rate of 41.4 per 100,000 workers is the highest since 2018 when the industry reported 57 fatalities and had a rate of 44.3. ..."

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