WM shares safety tips around garbage trucks as summer break begins

Olivia Wilson
·2 min read
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PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) — As schools close for summer break, Waste Management & Recycling Services is asking that parents and guardians review safety tips with their children regarding garbage trucks.

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WM shared the following safety tips:

  • Keep your distance: “Keep at least 15 feet from service trucks. Never climb on the truck. Do not play or stand in or around waste and recycling bins or cans, since you may not know when the truck is coming to empty them.”

  • Operation times: “Learn the schedule of when service vehicles are in the area. Waste and recycling trucks, postal vehicles, and other package delivery services keep regular schedules within each neighborhood.”

  • Follow at a distance: “Always keep a safe distance from a truck. It takes service vehicles nearly twice as long to stop as a passenger car, so never cut in front of or stop suddenly in front of one.”

  • Stay away while loading: “Do not allow children to help with loading any materials into the truck, and do not stand behind the truck while it is being loaded. Be cautious of debris that may be dislodged during compacting.”

  • Share the road safely: “Vehicles like WM trucks make frequent stops and wide turns, so do not follow the truck closely or try to go around a moving truck while driving, walking, running, biking or riding an electric vehicle such as a golf cart or scooter.”

  • Visibility issues with big trucks: “Be aware of blind spots. There are several areas where visibility can be restricted for the driver. If you cannot see the driver’s eyes, they may not see you.”

  • Stay alert of the beeping: “Every WM truck is equipped with a backup alarm. Stay alert and listen for the “beep-beep-beep” sound, an indication that the truck is backing up. Whether you’re walking or driving near one of our trucks, if you hear this sound or see its white backup lights, be sure to move out of the way.”

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“Safety is our top priority and WM cares about the residents in the communities we serve,” said Mark Noel, WM Director of Environmental, Health and Safety. “Now that children are on summer break and out and about in the neighborhood, we want to make sure their curiosity or interest in garbage trucks does not lead to harm.”

Noel added, “WM highly recommends that parents or adult guardians accompany small children who want to get a closer look at garbage trucks they see on the street.”

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