Houston Garbage Collector Accidents Attorney
Our society cannot operate without sanitation workers. Garbage and refuse collection is a necessary element of everyday living. Garbage collector accidents are often fatal and all too common.
Refuse and recyclable materials collectors are included in the rankings of the top 10 of civilian occupations with the highest fatal injury rates, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2014, the death rate was 35.8, making it the fifth most dangerous profession.
Causes of Sanitation Worker Injuries and Death
Sanitation workers can be injured due to faulty equipment, passing motorists in a hurry to get around the truck, or by drivers who are not properly trained to safely reverse the vehicle. Causes of garbage worker injuries and deaths include:
- Backing incidents comprise about 25% of all accidents and injuries in the waste industry
- Traffic – garbage collectors are often hit by neglectful drivers who drive around garbage trucks without looking
- Hit by objects – the garbage truck’s massive compactor blades can cause garbage and refuse to burst and shatter, putting workers at risk of being hit by flying metal or debris
Workers must be properly trained to manage traffic and to look for those drivers who may not be looking for them. Additionally, drivers must know the safe procedure for reversing their trucks. Reversing without a spotter can be extremely dangerous to those around the truck. Crush injuries from being backed over by the garbage truck can prove catastrophic.
Trucks can be equipped with cameras and sensors to assist the driver when reversing. When these safety features are working properly, drivers are better equipped to prevent serious injury to those around the truck.
Garbage Collector Accidents Can Be Serious
Given the heavy equipment involved with garbage and refuse collection, the injuries to garbage collectors can be severe. If a worker is hit by a passing car, flying debris, or by the truck, injuries can include:
- Broken bones
- Crush injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and broken vertebrae
- Death
- Mental anguish, pain, and suffering
- Catastrophic injuries
Injured workers may require a lifetime of care, which means medical bills, medical equipment, doctor visits, prescriptions, and lost wages. Most people cannot afford all of this on their own.
Contact a Houston Work Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in a work accident, contact Chelsie King Garza for a free consultation to ask questions about your rights.
