The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration renewed its alliance with the National Waste & Recycling Association and the Solid Waste Association of North America with the aim of improving the safety and health of workers in the solid waste and recycling industry
Over the term of the three-year agreement, OSHA, NWRA and SWANA will focus on safety issues, including transportation hazards such as backovers and distracted driving, slips, trips and falls, as well as needlestick and musculoskeletal injuries. They will also address potential health issues associated with lithium battery hazards in waste and recycling collection and processing.
The participants will collaborate to develop resources such as educational articles, fact sheets, and toolkits aimed at preventing and mitigating hazards and will share information at industry conferences, forums and meetings. Particular attention will be paid small- and medium-sized employers, to ensure that all businesses within the waste and recycling industry have access to essential safety information and resources.
The initiative takes place under OSHA's Alliance Program, whereby the agency develops voluntary, collaborative working relationships with organisations committed to workplace safety and health. They include trade and professional associations, labour unions, educational institutions, community and faith-based groups, and government agencies.
Alliance participants work with OSHA to provide workers and employers with information, guidance, and resources to promote safety and health in workplaces in order to prevent workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses. Alliances also ensure that workers know their rights and employers understand their responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
