Those who work in the sanitation field in Missouri or elsewhere in the country aren’t subject to direct OSHA oversight. However, they will scrutinize employers if complaints are made or a worker dies. To help keep workers safe, the American National Standards Institute has come up with a series of guidelines. For instance, a worker should only ride in the vehicle cab or use steps designed to be stood on.
No one should attempt to get out of a garbage truck or similar vehicle until it is stopped. The trucks themselves are designed to help workers avoid accidents or other dangerous situations. They come with mechanical arms that can lift trash cans, dump out the contents and then put the cans back down by themselves. This means that a worker doesn’t have to lift a heavy trash bag or can, and it also means that workers don’t have to come into contact with potentially dangerous items.
The trucks are also designed with backup cameras that help guide drivers when going in reverse. Although these tools can help workers reduce the risk of getting hurt at work, the workers themselves need to avoid becoming complacent. One way to accomplish that is by employers offering safety training to employees regardless of how long that they have been on the job.
If an individual is hurt on the job, it could result in time spent away from work recovering. This could mean that an injured worker incurs medical expenses while losing money at the same time. The workers compensation system is designed to allow a worker to have medical bills related to the accident paid. It may also be possible to recoup a percentage of wages lost while out of work.
