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Visitor
Control and
Safety
Whenever visitors—including new and regular customers—enter recycling operations, there’s the potential for them to get injured by moving equipment, falling or flying material, slips/trips/falls, or other hazards. Visitors who aren’t aware of such hazards can put themselves, your employees, and your company at risk, potentially leading to injuries, fatalities, and significant general liability claims. That’s why it’s critical to have visitor control rules in place in your recycling operations.
Of course, all recycling operations aren’t the same, so there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to visitor safety. That said, the following bullet points offer a few suggestions to consider:
■ Establish and post safety rules. Hang a prominent sign listing the rules and requirements at the entrance to your facility. Upon entry, give each customer a copy of the rules, a site map illustrating unloading areas, and an acknowledgement-of-risk statement. You might need to make this available in more than one language.
■ Track visitors’ entry and exit. Recyclers have been sued for damages when they weren’t sure the incident occurred on their site. Have customers sign in as they arrive and sign out as they leave.
■ Direct the flow. Make it obvious through signage where visitors should go on site—to unload, for example, or to visit the office—or use employee escorts to direct customers to the right areas in the plant.
■ Restrict access to dangerous areas. Ensure such areas are well-marked with signs, warnings, and barriers that identify and prevent access to them.
■ Empower employees. Give employees the authority—and the responsibility—to monitor visitors’ behavior, ensure visitors follow safety protocols, and report any unsafe visitor actions to management.
■ Separate customers and equipment. This is the most important step you can take to protect visitors. In particular, establish a separate area where customers can unload their scrap, and keep that area free of moving equipment during business hours. If you must use such equipment to unload heavy items, get visitors out of the vehicle and into a safe area.
(The above article is provided for informational purposes only. Consult a safety professional to determine how best to address the above topic in your particular recycling operation(s).)
Safety sign graphic by Mungujakisa Edmond from Vecteezy.
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