Report: Industry Fatalities Increased in 2018
According to a report by the Solid Waste Association of North America, there were 19 more fatalities in 2018 than 2017.
According to a new report by the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), at least 59 solid waste industry workers died on the job in 2018 in both the United States and Canada, an increase of 19 fatalities from 2017. Fifty-seven of these fatalities took place in the United States, and 71 percent of these fatalities occurred during waste or recycling collection.
While reviewing data collected from various sources, SWANA found that struck-by incidents were the most common cause of fatality overall, followed by collisions and rollover incidents. These incidents represented nearly 50 percent of all worker deaths. About 10 percent of victims were on the riding step when the fatality occurred. The causes of deaths at landfills, materials recovery facilities and transfer stations were more diverse than in collection, though being struck by heavy machinery or lockout/tagout failures were common.
“The industry’s safety record in 2018 was not acceptable, with at least 19 more worker fatalities than in 2017,” said David Biderman, executive director and CEO of SWANA, in a statement. “Most of last year’s increase involved collection workers, despite the industry’s success in getting states to pass Slow Down to Get Around laws and efforts by SWANA and others to improve safety on the route, as well as at post-collection facilities.”