Dive Brief:
- The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) has announced its third Safety Stand Down of ahead of the back-to-school season.
- The weeklong Back to School Safety training will run from August 22-26. Training will focus on driver awareness, pedestrian safety and related issues around school zones and bus stops.
- Participating companies and partner organizations can receive free tools, guidance and support around the program.
Dive Insight:
According to the NWRA, approximately 100 children are killed in the U.S. every yeah while walking to or from school and an additional 25,000 children are injured in school zone accidents.
The NWRA's previous Safety Stand Downs focused on truck backing in January and heat safety in May. Participation for the most recent event reached 65%, close to the association's goal of 70%. Participating companies are asked to focus on school safety during the selected week, conduct a risk assessment and review of policies, put up information in facilities and post on social media sites about the Stand Down.
The series is part of the NWRA's ongoing safety focus across the country. Most recently, the association co-hosted a symposium with SWANA in New York City on commercial waste safety that drew more than 100 professionals from many the city's top hauling companies.
