Dive Brief:

• Kenneth L. Simpson, 50, of Poplar Bluff, MO died Tuesday after a Union Pacific train crashed into the collection truck he was driving, as reported by KFVS. According to a police report, the crash happened just south of Bernie, MO, after Simpson did not yield to the southbound train. The train's conductor reportedly suffered minor injuries.
• Simpson was an employee of Republic Services. General Manager Mark Masterson told Waste Dive in a statement that it was "with great sadness for the entire Republic Services family that we learned that one of our employees did not make it home safely to his family last night" and that the company was cooperating with local authorities.
• Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) CEO David Biderman told Waste Dive his organization was looking forward to the results of any investigation around this crash, "so we can provide guidance to members and others on avoiding such tragic events."

Dive Insight:

This collision comes just over a month after a fatal incident in Virginia — one that gained widespread national attention because it involved a train carrying Congressional Republicans. In that incident, a worker from Time Disposal was killed and at least six others were sent to the hospital.

A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says the driver of the Time Disposal truck drove onto the graded crossing after safety gates were down. Crossbucks were also reportedly down at the time of the fatal crash in Missouri.

Eric Weiss, a spokesman for the NTSB, told Waste Dive he had not yet received any indication that the board would be investigating the incident in Missouri. The NTSB only investigates a "handful" of graded crossing incidents each year, he said.

Waste hauling and collecting remains the fifth-most dangerous job in the United States, so constant and thorough conversations are necessary. Incidents are sometimes associated with small haulers, who don't have as many resources to develop training and safety culture — but this fatality is a reminder that safety practices apply across the entire industry.

In a previous interview with Waste Dive, Republic COO Jon Vander Ark said safety is cultural at the company, and core to what they do. "When one of these things happens we have a safety stand down. Unfortunately, you can't look back," he said. "You can look back to remember and honor a life well-lived, but you can't bring the person back." He added that incidents require the company to "look forward" evaluate whether its safety culture is strong enough.