NWRA Hosts Safety Stand Down to Reduce Heat-Related Incidents
Offers Tools for Companies to Improve Health and Safety of Employees During Summer
Arlington, VA – The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) announced the launch of its third safety stand down with an emphasis on keeping collection workers safe during hot weather. Through this effort, NWRA is equipping participants with guidance and tools on water, rest and shade as preventative measures to protect the health of industry workers as temperatures begin to soar in summer months. The 2018 NWRA Safety Stand Down on Water, Rest and Shade launches on June 4 with a weeklong training and awareness initiative focused around reducing heat-related illness, fatalities and injuries, a common challenge for industries where workers spend considerable time outdoors. This NWRA Safety Stand Down will include a daily focus on safety issues related to keeping cool, hydrated and healthy in warmer weather and will conclude on June 8.
NWRA has made safety its top priority, a pledge shared by its member companies. This Stand Down will provide participating companies with the tools, guidance and support necessary to move the needle on heat-related health incidents. According to the Occupation Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), in 2014, 2,070 injury and illness cases with lost work days involved exposure to environmental heat; 1,160 cases (56 percent) occurred in the services providing industries. The waste and recycling industry falls into this sector. Waste and recycling workers working in hot weather are at risk. Employers must provide safe working conditions and employees must be made aware of the risk. Through this Stand Down, NWRA aims to prepare companies to address this issue and provide employees the resources they need to stay healthy in the heat.
“The purpose of the NWRA Safety Stand Down is to raise awareness, prevent and teach waste and recycling industry workers and employers about the dangers of working in hot weather and provide valuable resources to address these concerns,” said Darrell Smith, NWRA president and CEO.
This Stand Down comes on the heels of the highly successful NWRA Stand Down on Backing that took place in February. This Stand Down brought together more than 60 percent of the industry for a week of education, discussion and resource sharing to reduce backing-related incidents.
Participation in the NWRA Safety Stand Downs involves waste and recycling companies’ commitment to focusing employees’ safety sessions during the week on heat safety; conducting a risk assessment and review of backing policies and procedures; and posting Stand Down information at facilities and on social media sites to make employees aware of this effort.
NWRA encourages companies and partners in the waste and recycling industry to register for this Stand Down.
“NWRA, its members and partners in this Stand Down are committed to safety. This is one of multiple efforts NWRA is leading to move the needle on safety in our industry for our workers and the communities we serve,” said Smith.
The Safety Stand Down effort is using the social media hashtag #KeepSafetyCool.
As the designated Secretariat for ANSI Standards for the waste and recycling industry for more than 50 years, NWRA also coordinates the ongoing development of new and revised standards for both equipment and protective gear.
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ABOUT NWRA
The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) represents the private sector waste and recycling services industry. Association members conduct business in all 50 states and include companies that manage waste, recycling and medical waste, equipment manufacturers and distributors, and a variety of other service providers. For more information about NWRA, please visit www.wasterecycling.org.
Contact
Brandon Wright
National Waste and Recycling Association
bwright@wasterecycling.org
202-364-3706
