A Day in the Life of a Sanitation Worker amid the Global Pandemic

Sanitation workers are part of the “essential workers” who are currently risking their health every day to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the society. How has the daily routine changed for them amid the pandemic? Let’s take a look.

Shift Hours

The shift begins super early for the DSNY staff, at 6:30 a.m. The workers gather at their designated garage each morning, where they have a roll call and are assigned the routes they’ll be covering that day. Any important announcements that need to be made are also acknowledged at this time. The DSNY supervisors may also give special instructions or pointers related to the work for the day.

The team of sanitation workers working in the DSNY then heads out to tackle garbage collection and disposal all across the five boroughs of New York, which are further divided into 59 districts. The goal is to begin work early before the city becomes crowded with New Yorkers hurrying across the streets or filling up the subway stations. Amid the pandemic, their regular shift hours have been pushed back an hour and are now commencing at 5.30 a.m. to limit human interactions even more.  

The sky is still pitch black when the sanitation workers leave for the job. They get to enjoy a beautiful sunrise each morning on their way to the city districts, and watch the city wake up as the sky changes color. The shift ends at around 2 p.m., after which they retire to their homes and recharge.

The Dress Code

Sanitation workers are required to wear green uniforms that come with a reflective vest. These uniforms are available in different shades of green. This goes for both garbage collectors as their supervisors.

Alongside this, they don sturdy shoes that facilitate their constant movement across the districts they’re required to cover. The shoes don’t have steel toes, however, which means that the risk of attaining a foot injury in case of a pedestrian accident is quite high.

Because of the pandemic, sanitation workers are also taking the necessary precautions when handling trash. This includes wearing an additional layer of gloves & face masks, and regularly washing hands and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.

On the Job

The DSNY is responsible for picking up trash from both residential and commercial areas. This includes houses, apartment buildings, schools, and non-profit organizations. Businesses and restaurants are required to pay for private garbage collection and disposal.

Workers have the truck at their disposal to take them to different stops, but many prefer to walk short distances between stops themselves, especially if the weather’s nice. The exercise helps them with their jobs as well, as sanitation workers need to maintain a level of physical fitness to do the different tasks.

Sanitation workers are used to enjoying a level of camaraderie at the job. Pre-Covid, they’d meet their teammates and greet the residents they’d come across on their routes. However, with the social distancing laws being implemented, this is no longer the case. Most people are at home and are staying strictly indoors, and sanitation workers too have been advised to maintain distance with each other.

Another change they’ve observed during the pandemic is the increase in the garbage being disposed of from homes. With most people staying at home and frequently disinfecting and cleaning the surfaces inside their houses, it’s no surprise that residential waste has gone up a notch.

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