SWANA Notices a Startling Trend
In 2022, an alarming rise in worker fatalities was documented by The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), located in Silver Spring, Maryland. This increase comes after a drop in deaths in 2021. SWANA reported 46 fatalities within the solid waste industry in the United States and Canada, compared to 28 deaths from that previous year.
“SWANA is disappointed by the nearly 65 percent increase in worker fatalities experienced in the industry last year,” David Biderma, SWANA’s Executive Director and CEO commented.
“The 2022 data is a reminder that we need to make sure that safety is a core value across all lines of business, in collection, postcollection and maintenance, and at small and large companies and agencies in both the public and private sectors.”
SWANA’s research indicates that public sector workers accounted for a higher proportion of fatalities in 2022 than in other years. In total, 35 percent of those killed while performing solid waste activities were laboring for the public sector, which is substantially above the average of 21 percent observed over the last four years.
Collection Workers Mainly Affected
Accidents are the primary cause of death for those tasked with collection jobs. Among the fatalities, falling off or being struck by a truck were the main reasons these workers perished. The data also showed that being hit by an outside vehicle was the third major source of fatality in this field, followed by car collisions with other automobiles.
In 2022, SWANA reported a notable upturn in fatalities resulting from postcollection and maintenance activities as well. There were seven deaths at material recovery facilities (MRFs) as opposed to just one the previous year. Also, the number of deaths at landfills concerningly increased from five to eight during this time.
Maintenance and Mechanical-Related Fatalities
Maintenance also impacted the rise in worker fatalities in 2022 when four workers were tragically slain while performing tasks related to truck upkeep. Of these incidents, three deaths were directly linked to hydraulics-based duties.
In its most recent report, SWANA disclosed that mechanical-related casualties were at the top of fatal events for employees, a first since the data tracking began. Equipment such as shredders, balers, compactors, and other machinery caused 11 deaths in 2022. Following close behind was single-vehicle crashes which also led to serious incidents.
An analysis of worker fatalities over the course of the year reveals that there has typically been an increase in accidents during spring and summer months, followed by a decrease through the end of the year. However, this year, the pattern is slightly different.
According to SWANA, fatalities decreased in June as opposed to May, like they had for the past three years. Yet there was still a spike seen later in August.
Pedestrian Deaths
SWANA not only tracks worker fatalities, but also follows the occurrences of members of the public being killed due to solid waste-related incidents. Although figures for pedestrian deaths have dropped compared to 2021, the numbers remain higher than pre-2021 levels. Data provided by SWANA showed that 2022 saw a dramatic boost in fatal incidents involving bicyclists when compared to 2021’s sole recorded event.
This year, the top five states with the most fatalities include Texas, California, New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania, bumping Ohio and Georgia from 2021. According to SWANA, these five US states account for more than 40 percent of all fatalities in 2022. Additionally, there were three deaths reported in Canada, one in Ontario and two in British Columbia.
“Strategic Plan: Forward, Together”
To achieve its “Strategic Plan: Forward, Together,” SWANA has set a goal of getting collection workers off the “top 10 occupations with the highest fatality rate” list. In 2022, collection worker fatalities grew from 22 to 25.
The latest report from 2021 issued by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that this campaign has been successful, as collection workers are now seventh on the list, which is an improvement from prior years.
Looking to increase safety for waste collection workers, SWANA will be launching a new set of resources and partnering with government entities and other groups. To discuss plans on how to move forward, the association is hosting a town hall discussion on March 23. Through this collaboration, SWANA hopes to take waste collection workers completely off America’s most dangerous occupations list.
