Peekskill garbage man seriously injured in fall from moving truck

[x635 4,066]

I understand the neccesity and convience of riding the back of the truck,but there's got to be a safer way.

Peekskill garbage man seriously injured in fall from moving truck

http://www.lohud.com/article/20120413/NEWS/304130090/Peekskill-garbage-man-seriously-injured-fall-from-moving-truck?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage

[firebuff08 29]

There is a better way. Here in CT you never see a garbage truck with workers handling garbage pails. All of the garbage trucks are one man operations. Every home has one or more large, wheeled containers that are owned by the sanitation dept or private sanitation company. The containers must be placed at curb side. The truck come down the street. Stops. Without ever leaving the driver's seat, the driver operates the mechanical arm which grabs the container, lifts and dumps it into the top of the packer truck and then returns the container to the curb. Entire operation from stop of the truck to start up takes less than 30 seconds. Very efficient. Have not seen garbage men working the back of a truck around here in years. My guess the situation in Peekskill has more to do with a union contract to preserve jobs than with efficiency, or for that matter, safety.

[ny10570 745]

There is a better way. Here in CT you never see a garbage truck with workers handling garbage pails. All of the garbage trucks are one man operations. Every home has one or more large, wheeled containers that are owned by the sanitation dept or private sanitation company. The containers must be placed at curb side. The truck come down the street. Stops. Without ever leaving the driver's seat, the driver operates the mechanical arm which grabs the container, lifts and dumps it into the top of the packer truck and then returns the container to the curb. Entire operation from stop of the truck to start up takes less than 30 seconds. Very efficient. Have not seen garbage men working the back of a truck around here in years. My guess the situation in Peekskill has more to do with a union contract to preserve jobs than with efficiency, or for that matter, safety.

I was with you right until the dig on unions. The system you mentioned has substantial upfront costs. Figure the free market would find the cheapest and most cost efficient way of garbage hauling, right? Then why do all of the commercial haulers still do it this way? While some municipalities sacrifice speed in exchange for forbidding employees from riding on the back, I don't see any commercial haulers that ban the practice.

[Tanker 10eng 140]

Coming soon to DPW workers everywhere, helmets and safety belts... I hope he pulls out of this, my wishes to him and his family...

[NJMedic 96]

I understand the neccesity and convience of riding the back of the truck,but there's got to be a safer way.

An excuse that in the end didn't work for the American fire service.

[grumpyff 1,159]

Coming soon to DPW workers everywhere, helmets and safety belts... I hope he pulls out of this, my wishes to him and his family...

The same thing was said after the guy in Ossining was killed.

[ustadoit 13]

The unions do have a say in this, but......

The employees are interested in getting their routes done a.s.a.p. as they can sometimes go home when done.

These same employees also pick up recycling items and have to a very quick pick-through at the curb. A single container will not hold 3 categories of recycling as well as the garbage.

Peekskill puts a limit on the size of the container you use for trash -34 gallons, I believe- and enforces a limit as to how many are used by any particular residence. In short, there is a level of human involvement, off the truck, that is required.

That being said, I see no reason why the employees could not wear some kind of helmet......

[Bnechis 3,961]

There is a better way. Here in CT you never see a garbage truck with workers handling garbage pails. All of the garbage trucks are one man operations. Every home has one or more large, wheeled containers that are owned by the sanitation dept or private sanitation company. The containers must be placed at curb side. The truck come down the street. Stops. Without ever leaving the driver's seat, the driver operates the mechanical arm which grabs the container, lifts and dumps it into the top of the packer truck and then returns the container to the curb. Entire operation from stop of the truck to start up takes less than 30 seconds. Very efficient. Have not seen garbage men working the back of a truck around here in years. My guess the situation in Peekskill has more to do with a union contract to preserve jobs than with efficiency, or for that matter, safety.

Maybe before you guess, you should learn more about a situation, because when you ASSume....we all know what happens.

Our DPW looked into this system and had a demo unit for about 3 months. The concept was rejected by the city council when it was determined that 1) the manufacture of the system strongly recommended to only use it on streets without parking (this eliminates about 80% of our city). 2) Assuming that we did not have curbside parking, the city would have to replace approximatly 14 trucks and provide about 30,000 special garbage cans. 3) one of the manufacturers recommended that it not be used in communities with overhead wires ( I know others its not an issue).

Its a great concept, but it looks like it needs to be done in "new" communities, maybe this is why you rarely see it in older cities.

[BFD1054 1,552]

First, let me say I wish a speedy recovery to the injured G-Man.

I am on my blackberry and hate typing on it.

When I get to a computer, ill share some of my thoughts as a Sanitation Laborer (Teamsters Local 456 by the way).

Its a very dangeroud job and unless you've ever done it, you have no idea.

Again, thoughts and prayers for the injured worker. My thoughts are also with the other workers as this must have been a traumatic experience.

[ny10570 745]

Forget helmets and safety belts. The practice needs to stop. Hopping on between properties or across the street is not enough of a time saver to justify the risk. We hear about the catastrophic injuries, but what about more minor ones that still result in lost days or even permanent injury?

[tommyguy 104]

The same thing was said after the guy in Ossining was killed.

Yes it sure was.

Having dealt with OSHA following an industrial accident, how the heck is this permitted? I see the guys sometimes standing on the lip of the hopper, holding on to what looks like a hydraulic line. This is while the truck is in traffic, too.

I can't believe OSHA is really okay with this. Must be a through-the-cracks type deal.

[MoFire390 118]

I understand the neccesity and convience of riding the back of the truck,but there's got to be a safer way.

Peekskill garbage man seriously injured in fall from moving truck

http://www.lohud.com...|text|Frontpage

Your correct seth. There has to be another way. If some of you remember there was an incident in Buchanan some years ago when a worker was run over by a garbage truck not sure if he fell off the back or what not. Maybe BFD1054 can chime in with that.

[CTFF 65]

There is a better way. Here in CT you never see a garbage truck with workers handling garbage pails. All of the garbage trucks are one man operations. Every home has one or more large, wheeled containers that are owned by the sanitation dept or private sanitation company. The containers must be placed at curb side. The truck come down the street. Stops. Without ever leaving the driver's seat, the driver operates the mechanical arm which grabs the container, lifts and dumps it into the top of the packer truck and then returns the container to the curb. Entire operation from stop of the truck to start up takes less than 30 seconds. Very efficient. Have not seen garbage men working the back of a truck around here in years. My guess the situation in Peekskill has more to do with a union contract to preserve jobs than with efficiency, or for that matter, safety.

Maybe in your part of CT but I can think of a couple larger towns and cities that still have guys on the back of the truck.

[calhobs 110]

I understand the neccesity and convience of riding the back of the truck,but there's got to be a safer way.

Peekskill garbage man seriously injured in fall from moving truck

http://www.lohud.com...|text|Frontpage

There is it is called walking like they do in the City, works fine for them.

Edited April 15, 2012 by calhobs

[x4093k 654]

Hate to bring this to you folks, But, unfortunately He has died after being in critical condition for days.

My condolences are with his family friends and workers.

R.I.P

Edited April 24, 2012 by x4093k

[newsbuff 286]

Damn.

Rest in Peace sir.

[firemp218 3]

Rip

[PFDRes47cue 653]

Terrible.

RIP.

[BFD1054 1,552]

Man, this is the first I'm hearing of this...I'm at a loss for words.

R.I.P.

Thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and Teamster brothers of Peekskill DPW.

Very sad news

[XCAPT133 2]

he will be seriously missed he was a kinded person to work with my condolences goes out to his with and family RIP brother you will never be forgotten in my heart

[IMAFF 2]

Yes it sure was.

Having dealt with OSHA following an industrial accident, how the heck is this permitted? I see the guys sometimes standing on the lip of the hopper, holding on to what looks like a hydraulic line. This is while the truck is in traffic, too.

I can't believe OSHA is really okay with this. Must be a through-the-cracks type deal.

I have worked on a garbage truck for several years and we (CSEA) pushed for satelite trucks to ride in when traveling longer distances during our routes. All our trucks are Leach packers and all have warning stickers saying do not ride on step when traveling over 10 mph or traveling longer than 2 tenths of a mile or when vehical is moving in reverse. We(CSEA) stopped the practice of riding on the back lip of the hopper several years ago. The bar you see them holding onto is a bar that keeps the dumpsters from falling inside the hopper not a hydraulic line.

[ex-commish 490]

May he rest in peace

[FF398 45]

Tragic. RIP

[SFRD E-9 18]

They still ride on the back of garbage trucks in Stamford, CT. See it every day I go into work! There's a reason why Fire Departments stopped this practice in the late 80's.

[x4093k 654]

They still ride on the back of garbage trucks in Stamford, CT. See it every day I go into work! There's a reason why Fire Departments stopped this practice in the late 80's.

I see the same everyday, and they go way over 10MPH backwards with 2 guys on the back, and them jumping off mid way..

[20y2 43]

Wow, what a tragedy. My condolences to his family and friends.

[firecapt32 282]

this is a serious situation first condolances to the family and friends and the Peekskill community for your lose. Riding the back of a vehicle any vehicle is olny asking for trouble.

I do remember riding the tail board many years ago but hopefully we have learned our lesson.

heres a simple answer to the problem-- follow the G truck with a little pick up truck 2 or three men can ride in the pick up or they can leap frog each other anad make the g pick up easier still mopving at a fast pace. I dont think it would add much to a budget and it would be worth more then the death of a worker.

just my thoughs

[2209 0]

.

heres a simple answer to the problem-- follow the G truck with a little pick up truck 2 or three men can ride in the pick up or they can leap frog each other anad make the g pick up easier still mopving at a fast pace.

That's what I think they were talking about with satelite trucks

Edited April 26, 2012 by 2209

[61MACKBR1 222]

Bottom Line is that many communities, especially out in the Southwest and Southern States, are going more towards using Automated Side Loading Garbage Trucks (1 man operations), used on Residential Routes, as a measure of safety and efficiency. Yes, these kind of trucks have a large upfront costs, but only having 1 individual covering a route, rather than 2, 3 or sometimes 4, decreases the overall overhead significantly (Thus saving taxpayers a tremendous amount of long term costs)

Why we don't see many automated trucks in the Northeast and other major cities in the country (Chicago, Detriot, etc) is because of a number of reason, such as:

1) it is written in the UNION CONTRACT that routes are to be covered by a certain number of men, and the union will simply not allow for Automated Trucks to take over operations at the cost of losing union members on the job

2) Cities are simply reluctant to put up the significant upfront costs to equip their cities with Automated Side Loading Refuse Collection Vehicles

3) Cities like New York City, with the way cars are parked on the streets, cannot use Automated Side Loading Refuse Equipment Vehicles

HOWEVER, if you look at areas such as municipalities outside of Phoenix Arizona and down in Texas, you almost never see Rear Loading Refuse Collection Vehicles on Residential Routes (You see more Front Loading Trucks on Commercial Routes and some Rear Loaders doing Industrial Routes). For some of the rural areas up the Northeast that are handled directly by municipalities, for Residential Routes, Automated Side Loading Equipment could work, but again you have the upfront costs and the most likely fight with the Sanitation Workers Unions that to most local governments is just not worth the fight.

I was with you right until the dig on unions. The system you mentioned has substantial upfront costs. Figure the free market would find the cheapest and most cost efficient way of garbage hauling, right? Then why do all of the commercial haulers still do it this way? While some municipalities sacrifice speed in exchange for forbidding employees from riding on the back, I don't see any commercial haulers that ban the practice.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Bottom Line is that many communities, especially out in the Southwest and Southern States, are going more towards using Automated Side Loading Garbage Trucks (1 man operations), used on Residential Routes, as a measure of safety and efficiency. Yes, these kind of trucks have a large upfront costs, but only having 1 individual covering a route, rather than 2, 3 or sometimes 4, decreases the overall overhead significantly (Thus saving taxpayers a tremendous amount of long term costs)

Why we don't see many automated trucks in the Northeast and other major cities in the country (Chicago, Detriot, etc) is because of a number of reason, such as:

1) it is written in the UNION CONTRACT

As soon as I saw these two words, all written in caps, I stopped reading this post. I'm guessing this emphasis was placed as a negative connotation, and quite frankly to insert that onto what has become a Remembrance Thread of a Unionized Worker, is disgraceful.

Rest in Peace Brother Union Member.