Refuse and recyclable materials are collected from Fairfax County residences and businesses by a mix of private collectors and County employees. These workers are doing dangerous work in dangerous conditions on our roads every day. Their safety is as much in your hands as theirs.
According to U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics data, refuse and recyclable materials collection is the fifth most dangerous job in this country - and transportation incidents are the cause of 40 percent of the injuries and fatalities.
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Garbage Man Day
On June 19, 2018, we held an event at the I-66 Transfer Station to recognize the hard work refuse and recycling collection workers do each day. We talked with workers and handed out several hundred bottles of ice cold water and nearly 200 of our specially printed Slow Down to Get Around cooler bags.
BLS FATAL WORK INJURIES DATA
| Occupation | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fishers and related fishing workers | 53 | 38 | 50 | 57 | 38 | 42 | 33 | 27 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| Logging workers | 66 | 38 | 85 | 36 | 60 | 65 | 63 | 59 | 78 | 67 | 91 |
| Aircraft pilots and flight engineers | 104 | 87 | 91 | 65 | 78 | 71 | 72 | 64 | 82 | 57 | 75 |
| Roofers | 81 | 79 | 69 | 60 | 57 | 60 | 73 | 72 | 83 | 75 | 101 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors | 37 | 18 | 30 | 20 | 26 | 30 | 31 | 33 | 27 | 33 | 31 |
| Structural iron and steel workers | 36 | 40 | 36 | 18 | ND | 18 | 22 | ND | 15 | 17 | 16 |
| Occupation | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fishers and related fishing workers | 151.9 | 110.1 | 128.2 | 203.6 | 152.0 | 127.3 | 120.8 | 75.0 | 80.8 | 54.8 | 86.0 |
| Logging workers | 85.0 | 89.9 | 119.7 | 65.5 | 93.5 | 104.0 | 129.9 | 91.3 | 110.9 | 132.7 | 135.9 |
| Aircraft pilots and flight engineers | 90.6 | 70.7 | 73.2 | 59.0 | 70.6 | 56.1 | 54.3 | 50.6 | 64.0 | 40.4 | 55.5 |
| Roofers | 37.2 | 33.4 | 34.4 | 34.7 | 30.6 | 32.0 | 43.1 | 38.9 | 46.1 | 39.7 | 48.6 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors | 43.9 | 24.0 | 35.5 | 26.5 | 29.8 | 36.4 | 32.3 | 33.0 | 35.8 | 38.8 | 34.1 |
| Structural iron and steel workers | 60.4 | 47.9 | 46.2 | 30.3 | ND | 27.1 | 34.6 | ND | 28.3 | 29.8 | 25.1 |
Slow Down to Get Arround
In July 2015, Virginia signed HB1649 into law, joining eight other states that have enacted Slow Down to Get Around legislation. The Fairfax County Solid Waste Management Program has been actively promoting Slow Down to Get Around:
Celebrating Success!
In June 2017, the Fairfax County Solid Waste Management Program was awarded the Solid Waste Association of North America's national award for the most improved safety for 2016. How did we do it? Click on the "Safety Program Application" below to read about how we turned our safety program around.
