Safety Measures That Rubbish Removal Companies Must Take To Protect Workers
Australia is fortunate to be among the first countries to reopen after being locked down due to the coronavirus outbreak. Life is mostly back to normal to everyone, to the extent that the beaches and malls are full of people again. However, as all kinds of transportations become allowed to operate, the risk of spreading the virus will always be there.
That makes us think of the welfare of rubbish removal specialists. Like the front-line workers, their jobs have not been affected too much by the pandemic. If anything, the collections have probably increased post-lockdown, considering homeowners had time to clean their backyards, and entrepreneurs had to empty their offices. It entails that the collectors must meet multiple individuals every day and interact with them in person.
The thing is, you may ask your specialists to do a swab test to ensure that they do not carry the coronavirus and infect your clients. But how can you protect the workers?
Provide Proper Gear
From the get-go, the company must provide full protection to the rubbish removal experts. The package can include heavy-duty masks, face shields, and shoe covers. It will not be wasteful to add PPEs, considering they are technically front-line workers, too.
You may ask, “Are long-sleeved shirts acceptable?” Some may say yes, but many others may say that it is not enough. The reason is that the virus can potentially stay on clothes for hours. Therefore, it is more effortless to disinfect a non-fabric suit than a fabric one.
Keep Them From Touching Garbage Without Disposable Gloves
If you have never seen collectors of hard rubbish before, you should know that they are always equipped with thick gloves to protect their hands from bruises. Sometimes, they use cotton gloves with latex palms for further protection.
Although both types are technically suitable for the job, they are not ideal to wear when the risk of catching coronavirus remains. Hence, even if it is incredibly cost-effective, specialists must put disposable gloves over the regular ones before touching any trash. Then, they should dispose of them before even hopping into the vehicle and leaving the location.
Wash Uniforms Every Day
Considering you have already provided PPEs to every waste worker in the company, it does not guarantee that they are 100% virus-free. No one has microscopic eyes to check that; that’s why you need to have their clothes washed every day.
Alternatively, if the specialists arrive at work wearing their uniforms, you should ask them to wash them daily. Try to avoid mixing them with others; just take them straight to the washer to kill whatever virus may be clinging on the threads.
Add Disinfection Areas In The Office
The danger is supposedly everywhere, so it will be fantastic to add disinfection areas all over the office. For instance, before entering the building, the workers should step on a foot bath mat or tray and have their body temperatures checked. Inside the workplace or changing room, you should limit the number of people who stay there to maintain social distancing. Wherever possible, you can set up sinks—complete with soaps, sanitizers, and moisturizers—in the corners to encourage everyone to wash their hands more often than usual.
Sanitize All Fleets After Hours
Of course, you cannot forget about the fleets that carry the clients’ garbage from their locations to the recycling facilities or landfills. The workers may have all the protection they need, but the trucks are bare. Because of that, you should never forget to disinfect every vehicle at the end of the day.
Mind you; a random sweeping is no longer sufficient. You must hose down the entire fleet, spray soap inside and out, and rinse it thoroughly. While you are at it, have another person sanitize the seats, steering wheel, dashboard, doors and handles, and even the little compartments.
Final Thoughts
While the country is no longer a hotspot for COVID-19, no rubbish removal company owner should ever feel too confident that the coronavirus will never reach you or your employees. Remember that if one of them catches the virus, your whole operation will undoubtedly be in jeopardy. As always, it is more ideal to be safe than sorry.
