NWRA releases safety best practices for MRFs, landfills and transfer stations

The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA), Washington, has released new safety best practices for operators of material recovery facilities (MRFs), landfills and transfer stations as part of its industrywide safety effort. As a result of a year-long effort from NWRAs Safety Committee, comprising leading safety experts from throughout the industry, this set of Site Safety Best Practices encourages all members and other service providers to incorporate these guidelines into their operations.

“These best practices, which might be adjusted for site-specific circumstances, should be part of a comprehensive on-site safety program,” says Sharon H. Kneiss, NWRA president and chief executive officer. “They can be especially valuable for companies seeking to address safety in managing temporary workers, contractors and visitors that may not be as familiar with postcollection waste and recycling operations as they are for full-time industry personnel.”

The Site Safety Best Practices cover issues ranging from tipping floor safety to the use of personal protective equipment and incorporating safety technologies, such as cameras and alarms on mobile equipment. They also include guidance on making facilities safer through improved communication among all parties in a MRF, transfer station or landfill while minimizing distractions caused by mobile phones. The complete list of Site Safety Best Practices can be found by visiting https://wasterecycling.org/our-work/safety.

NWRA says it has made safety its top priority, a pledge shared by its member companies.

In November, Kneiss issued a call to action on safety, asking the industry to work toward significantly reducing injuries and fatalities in waste and recycling facilities as part of a comprehensive, data-driven and multifaceted initiative. NWRA says it is making in-house experts available to member companies to assist in adapting the Site Safety Best Practices to their individual facilities and implement them accordingly.

As the designated secretariat for ANSI Standards for the waste and recycling industry for more than 50 years, NWRA says it coordinates all industry efforts for the ongoing development of new and revised standards for both equipment and protective gear.