According to OSHA, ‘construction companies save more than $4-$6 for every $1 that they spend on workplace safety’. This shows just how vital worker safety is in the construction industry, and a significant portion of accidents are due to one of three things; falls and slips, chemical reactions, and improperly stored waste.
Let’s rectify one of those core problems.
Today we here at Trashco Inc. will be taking you through 6 ways in which you can up your construction waste disposal game in order to prioritize worker safety, save money, and increase efficiency.
1. Make a dedicated waste disposal location
Two of the biggest issues with construction waste are the space that this waste takes up and the variety of materials mixed together. Without some kind of organization you’re left with a mound of trash containing everything from wood and concrete through to drywall, plaster, bricks, metal, and other potentially harmful substances.
It’s an accident waiting to happen.
Remember when we mentioned that slips and falls are some of the most common causes of injuries on construction sites? Think of how many of those trips could have been prevented by clearing up the site of loose waste materials or how the severity of any accidents could be mitigated by properly storing waste.
Nobody wants to fall onto cut sections of piping, let alone concrete blocks.
Hence why one of the simplest things you can do to improve worker safety around your construction site is to dedicate a set location to dispose of waste and to have everyone contribute to clearing up the site. For example, you could have a short amount of time at the beginning and end of each shift where workers put trash into the correct containers, keeping the workspace clear of refuse and making it easier to store waste safely until it’s disposed of.
Speaking of storage…
2. Use suitable waste containers
Another element of worker safety when it comes to waste is making sure that your trash is put into suitable containers.
First, you need to take into account the type of waste you’re producing. If it’s excess or old materials that aren’t going to decompose quickly such as drywall or rebar, you can store them in bulk in a roll-off container. These are suited to storing large amounts of waste that’s safe to leave open to the elements. Other types of waste such as organic matter (waste food, etc) might instead require front load dumpsters, or even specific containers for harmful chemicals.
Second, your team needs to be grouping their waste appropriately. That means that they’re separating recyclable garbage from non-recyclable, hazardous, or organic waste, and using the previously mentioned appropriate containers to store each of them until they can be picked up for disposal.
Again, this keeps your site clear and helps to limit your team’s exposure to safety hazards such as harmful chemicals, sharp metal or glass, and so on.
3. Consider renting a trash compactor
Renting a trash compactor can be a fantastic way to save space and money by reducing the amount of space waste occupies while waiting for pickup, and the number of pickups you require each week. It’s also a good way to increase worker safety around your site, with one important caveat.
Think about it; even if it’s piled in one container, a roll-off container full of (or even overflowing) sharp metal, heavy blocks, broken wood and glass, and more is still a hazard no matter what. What if a piece of waste falls when someone adds another bulky item, or harsh weather shifts the stack in just the wrong way so as to make it unstable?
The simple way to deal with it is to compact anything suitable into much more easily storable chunks. This can help to lower the amount of jagged surfaces, make your trash pile more stable in harsh weather, and give you the room you need to store all of your waste safely.
4. Ensure training and oversight for heavy machinery operation
The caveat to enhancing safety while using a trash compactor (or any heavy machinery / large units) is to make sure that your staff are appropriately trained to use it. For trash compactors, only employees who have been thoroughly drilled on safety procedures and how to use it should be allowed access. Otherwise, it never hurts to run over the basics - don’t climb into any trash containers to try to compact waste and make room for more (that’s what compactors are for), make sure you’re putting the right kind of waste in the right place, and so on.
After all, we want to improve worker safety, not add another hazard to the mix.
5. Set pickup times and frequencies
It’s just as important to have your waste reliably disposed of as it is to store it until that time comes around. That’s why you need to have a rough idea of how much waste you make (both at low and peak production times) so that you can have a reliable idea of how frequently you need your containers to be emptied.
This will vary massively depending on the tasks your team is performing, the time of year, the type and size of containers you’re using, whether you have a trash compactor onsite, and much more. Just remember to reach out to our team if you need help figuring out how often your collections need to be!
6. Use a reliable waste collection service
The final tip follows on from setting a regular waste collection schedule, and it’s to make sure that the waste collection service you’re using is going to be there on time, every time. After all, it’s no good getting the rest of your operation running smoothly if the garbage truck doesn’t turn up and leaves you with overflowing dumpsters creating all kinds of health hazards.
Luckily, you’re on the website of one of the leading waste management companies to ever grace Laredo and the wider Texas area!
Your worker safety is in good hands with Trashco Inc.
Whether you’re looking for a reliable waste collection service courtesy of our state-of-the-art fleet of trucks or to rent a front load dumpster, roll-off container, or even a trash compactor, Trashco Inc. is the company you need.
We’re dedicated to cleaning up Laredo and the surrounding area, creating a place that’s beautiful, safe, and environmentally friendly. That’s why we’re so careful and reliable! We want to make sure that your sites stay clear of trash and that all waste is processed as efficiently as possible to reduce our overall carbon footprint.
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