Tag: Waste Safety Improvements

The Right Tool for the Right Job – the WasteCaddy Dumpster Mover

This is the Tool You've Been Needing at your Job.
This is the Tool You’ve Been Needing at your Job.

You may already know that workers in the waste management sector have significantly higher incidents of accidents and injuries than people working in other fields. People working for your company may be exposed to many of the same risks associated with waste management, even though it’s not their primary responsibility.

In fact, manually moving heavy dumpsters full of trash is a time-consuming process that takes your employees away from other duties. Do your part to keep them safe and working efficiently by providing them with the best tool for the job.

How injuries often occur

Trash dumpsters are designed to hold large amounts of practically any type of material that gets thrown in. To hold up to the demands, dumpsters are heavy and bulky, and when filled with trash, a dumpster can weigh up to 2,500 pounds. Yet many companies still have their employees manually moving dumpsters across wet floors, through narrow areas, on loading ramps, across uneven pavement, and in all types of weather.

WasteCaddy Dumpster Mover

A motorized dumpster mover is like adding another employee to help your team members move heavy loads but at a fraction of the costs of hiring someone new. In addition to preventing workers comp claims due to back injuries, falls, and muscle strains, you can reduce the likelihood of property damage. If your employees must manually move a dumpster across busy parking lots, there’s always the possibility the dumpster could get away from them and strike a person or vehicle.

Contact DJ Products to speak with one of our sales engineers about which motorized dumpster mover is right for your business.

What Steps Can You Take to Deter Dumpster Diving at Your Facility

What Steps Can You Take to Deter Dumpster Diving at Your Facility
What Steps Can You Take to Deter Dumpster Diving at Your Facility

Although one man’s trash might be another man’s treasure, your business probably does not want its dumpsters to be treated as a free-for-all. Dumpster divers leave behind an ugly mess that can be dangerous. You may also have sensitive, proprietary information that you don’t want to fall into the wrong hands.

We recommend using the WasteCaddy so any employee can safely transport dumpsters to locked areas when not in use. Your organization can also learn some tricks from the self-storage industry.

Tales of Dumpster Diving

Storage facilities are ripe targets for dumpster diving because quality items are often discarded by people who don’t have any other options. The Storage Facilitator blog recounts tales of dumpster divers visiting every night, and unfortunately, failing to pick up after themselves.

One man rented storage units at various facilities just to gain (technically legal) access to the dumpsters. The token amount of business was far outweighed by the constant mess.

Tips to Discourage Dumpster Diving

Some of the best ways to deter people from digging through trash include:

• Always lock dumpsters so only maintenance staff has access.

• Locate dumpsters in a locked parking lot after hours.

• Use a powered dumpster mover like the WasteCaddy for an easier time moving and relocating dumpsters.

• Provide smaller trash cans for customers and employees and empty them regularly.

• Routinely send scrap metal and other desirable debris to recycling facilities.

Moving dumpsters behind locked gates is an easy solution, but manually pushing dumpsters carries a huge injury risk. Talk to us at DJ Products about how the WasteCaddy or WasteCaddyLite can help keep your facility clean and secure.

The Danger of Push and Pull Injuries – Think Dumpster Movers!

The Danger of Push and Pull Injuries - Think Dumpster Movers!
The Danger of Push and Pull Injuries – Think Dumpster Movers!

Pushing and pulling may seem like basic activities, but according to the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) they are behind roughly 20 percent of workplace injuries. Not only do they increase risk of injury, pushing and pulling inflict stress on the body’s musculoskeletal system.

Studies show that these injuries are a result of poor body mechanics rather than unsafe work conditions. Share these techniques with employees to reduce risks involved in pushing and pulling.

Safety Tips for Pushing and Pulling

1. Whenever possible, push rather than pull to relieve stress on lower back muscles and face forward while moving.

2. Be realistic about the effort involved in transporting a heavy load. Consider the task carefully and ask for help when you need it.

3. Make sure the dumpster puller or other mover is in good operational condition. Determine the best route to travel and inspect it beforehand for any obstructions.

4. Use a slow but steady movement when starting and stopping a load. Sudden exertions can add undue stress to muscles and joints.

5. Always use proper body mechanics:

  • Hands should be chest height and shoulder width apart.
  • Contract your abdomen, maintaining a slight arch in your lower back.
  • As you bend your elbows, retract your shoulder blades and push your chest forward.
  • Keep feet flat and shoulder width apart.

Reduce Pushing and Pulling Injuries with Electric Movers from DJ Products

Our WasteCaddyLite dumpster puller is ergonomically designed to let a single employee safely move up to 2,000 pounds. Visit our website to learn more about our full line of battery-powered tugs, pullers and movers.

Tips for Preventing Injuries in the Workplace – Look at the Trash Room First

MovingDumpsterOnIncine
Trash Room Injuries

Do you associate workplace injuries with assembly lines and other complex equipment? You might be surprised to learn that many of them occur in the relatively quiet trash room.

According to data from the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, these five injuries account for nearly 75 percent of the overall cost burden:

1. Overexertion

The top category includes injuries caused by pushing, pulling and other activities that cause undue stress on muscles and joints. Manually transporting dumpsters weighing hundreds or thousands of pounds can easily result in these types of injuries.

2. Falling

Employees are vulnerable to falling while moving dumpsters up and down inclines or across treacherous surfaces such as snow and ice.

3. Bodily Reaction

This category includes injuries such as getting fingers and hands caught in dumpster lids or stumbling and banging your head against the side.

4. Falling to a Lower Level

While technically this doesn’t usually apply to trash rooms, an employee can become seriously injured by a fall incurred by climbing into a dumpster.

5. Struck by Object

Unwieldy dumpsters can quickly get away from employees, striking them or causing them to be pinned against a wall or other obstacle.

Safeguard Employees with a Dumpster Mover from DJ Products

A dumpster mover like the WasteCaddyLite, our most popular product, eliminates many of the risk factors for these common injuries.

  • A single employee can transport dumpsters weighing up to 2,000 pounds.
  • Dumpster movers travel securely on inclines as well as rough or slippery surfaces.
  • Our movers are ergonomically designed to prevent repetitive motion injuries.

Call 800.686.2651 to learn more about our full line of movers.

Tips for Your Staff on Using Your Dumpster Safely

Dumpster Safety
Dumpster Safety

Whether you’re working a temporary construction project or you manage a large multi-family housing property, effective trash removal is a major part of the job. Avoid injury claims and work stoppages by making sure your employees are trained in these dumpster safety tips:

• People sometimes open dumpster gates as a shortcut for loading trash. If the gates do get opened, be sure they are securely closed immediately. Trash that spills out of the dumpster can be a safety risk and result in fines.

• Overfilling the dumpster is another sure way to end up with unsightly and dangerous spillage. Some states and municipalities prohibit trash pick-up if the waste extends beyond the top of the dumpster, which makes additional work for your employees.

• Eco-friendly trash removal involves more than toxic or radioactive materials. Ordinary household items such as paints, pesticides and batteries should never be placed in a dumpster. Take electronic waste like computers and televisions to the appropriate recycling facility.

• Distribute trash evenly throughout the dumpster so it stays level and balanced, especially when it’s being moved.

• Paper, cardboard and other lightweight materials can easily fly out of the dumpster. Keep these objects weighted down by heavier items, placing them all in bags if possible.

Practice Dumpster Safety with Electric Tuggers from DJ Products

Even if you carefully follow these dumpster safety tips, moving awkward and heavy dumpsters is a two-person job. Visit our website to learn how our battery-powered WasteCaddy lets a single employee maneuver dumpsters up to 5,000 pounds, even up inclines and across snow and ice.