Safety Tips

Stay Safe around Trucks

• Always maintain a 15-foot safe zone around a truck.
• Never try to touch a truck or add anything to a cart while it’s being serviced.
• Remind children to watch our operations safely from the sidewalk or front yard.
• If a pet runs under a truck while it is servicing your cart, do not chase it. Get the driver’s attention and approach the truck to retrieve your pet when the driver indicates it is safe.
• Remember, it takes large trucks about twice as long to stop as a passenger car, so never cut in front or stop suddenly in front of a trash or recycling truck. Please give our drivers extra room when streets are wet, icy or snowy, as this can impact stopping distance.

Adopt Our SAFETY Guidelines

• See 3-6-9. Be aware of conditions in front, beside and behind your vehicle.
• Advance field of view. Monitor conditions 12-15 seconds ahead of your vehicle.
• Find safe space. Respect following distance and scan area for anything that may impact safe vehicle operation.
• Evaluate other vehicle behavior. Be prepared to adjust course, speed based on other vehicle actions.
• Think outside the cab. Perform regular vehicle maintenance and never use a cell phone while driving.
• Yield right of way. Allow others safe space to turn, cross and merge.

Eliminate Household Hazards

Protect your home and community: keep dangerous materials out of your trash cart. Hot coals or ashes can ignite in your cart or in our truck and cause a fire. Oil, paint and other toxic fluids can leak out, stain the streets and contaminate storm systems.

• Place coals and ash in a metal container and cover with water to fully extinguish. This is also a good method for sparklers, fireworks and smoldering materials.
• Never put combustible materials in a trash or recycling cart. Dispose of propane tanks, lighter fluid and similar items at household hazardous collection events.
• Keep chemicals out of your household trash. Check with the city or county for information on where to properly and legally dispose of hazardous items including batteries, oil, paint, pool chemicals and fluorescent lamps. Even a small amount of chemicals at the bottom of the bottle can start a trash fire. Don’t risk it!