THE SAFETY OF THE WORK OF PROFESSIONALS COLLECTORS OF URBAN GARBAGE

Abstract

In analyzing the risks inherent to the activity of urban garbage collectors, better known, erroneously, as "garbage men", there is a need for the adoption of security measures, which aim at the well-being of the workers involved in this activity, as well as that of community benefited by it. In general, the situation in different municipalities was taken into account and, even, some situations are pointed out around the world, where the collection of municipal solid waste is done by the municipality itself, with the use of its equipment and human resources from its staff or, through outsourced companies, contracted and supervised by the public administration. With this research work we intend to demonstrate the need to adopt better working conditions for urban garbage collectors, not restricted, however, only to the scope of technical standards and occupational safety and hygiene laws. It is important to note that this work does not have the purpose of making any kind of complaint to any competent bodies or Ministry of Labor itself or its current divisions. Its purpose is to show possible failures and shortcomings, as well as to suggest improvements in the working conditions of this range of workers or civil servants, so that the name of the municipality other than the matter of full disclosure and registration will not be disclosed current media. The suggestions presented here will be of value to any municipalities, with own or outsourced collection.