In the Age of COVID-19: Sanitation Workers Deal With Higher Waste Levels As the Outbreak Persists

Collecting waste and recyclable materials is considered to be the fifth most dangerous job in the United States. In a city as filthy as New York, the risks are even higher. With the outbreak of the coronavirus, waste levels have spiked by as much as 40% in certain areas, putting sanitation workers at a high risk of getting infected.

The Risks Posed to Sanitation Workers

The biggest concern of sanitation workers at this time is how to prevent contracting the deadly disease themselves as they go about their work. While many businesses and commercial activities have shut down temporarily or shifted operations as per remote working guidelines, sanitation workers still have to show up to work every day. They’re part of the essential workers who’re crucial to society’s health and safety. However, since the coronavirus is a highly infectious disease that may be transmitted via infected surfaces, picking up trash from around the city is more dangerous than ever.

Sanitation workers are at risk of unknowingly touching discarded material such as tissues, masks, or gloves that may have been used by a person who tested positive for the coronavirus.  While people have been advised to take care when throwing away these contaminated items, there’s still a high chance of sanitation workers being directly exposed to these. With the spike in residential waste, the chances of them accidentally touching a contaminated item is even more than it would’ve been otherwise.

What Measures Have Been Taken?

Keeping in mind the risks to sanitation workers, the state’s Department of Sanitation has taken a number of steps to protect its employees. Shifts now begin an hour earlier than usual, so that sanitation workers can start their work when the streets are mostly barren and fewer people are out. Workers are supplied with protective gear such as masks and gloves (in addition to the ones that they’d already wear) to minimize their chances of contracting the virus. Sanitation workers wear an additional thin layer of gloves underneath their usual ones to add another barrier.

The vehicles used for garbage collection and disposal are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, not just between shifts but also afterward. In addition to this, any other equipment being used on a regular basis is cleaned multiple times a day to prevent contamination.

Unlike how they’d previously use to, sanitation workers no longer gather at their usual spots to bond after a day’s work, keeping up with the social distancing rules. The public has also been urged to dispose of their trash by using closed bags or containers to prevent sanitation workers from getting infected.

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