If you own a warehouse business which requires the regular use of a dumpster to haul away material not needed, you will want to take the necessary steps in keeping your employees safe when using it. Dumpsters can be a beneficial addition to warehouse work so there is no need to take up much-needed space within the building with debris. There are however, hazards that can cause injury if they are not utilized properly. Here are some steps you can take to ensure employees have the lowest risk of injury when using the dumpster while on the job.

Select The Right Placement

It is very important to have the dumpster placed in an area of the property where it will not hurt the building, vehicles, or people. Have the service dropping off the dumpster place the container in an area on flat, solid ground. It is best to use an asphalt or cement surface if possible as there will be no worry of the enclosure sinking into the ground, causing visible damage to the property. 

Keep The Dumpster Upright

When people put material inside of a dumpster, ask them to peer inside to see if the previous thrown away items are collecting on one side of the enclosure. If there seems to be more on one side than the other, the employee should utilize the less filled side with their own debris. This way the dumpster will be less likely to tip over due to an uneven load. Place heavy cinder blocks or cement bags around the wheel area to keep the dumpster from sliding or rolling as well.

Watch The Amount Inside

If the dumpster seems to be filling up at a fast rate, call the dumpster service to request a new container. They will haul the old one away and leave an empty one in its place. You may want to keep tabs on how quickly a dumpster fills to the brim so you can increase the frequency of swap-outs with the dumpster company as necessary.

Refrain From Dumping Hazardous Waste

Make the employees aware of the fact that hazardous materials are never to be placed inside the dumpster unless it is reserved especially for this purpose. Mixing chemicals, flammable materials, or hazardous agents inside a dumpster with regular debris can cause injury to the employee or the driver of the dumpster rentals service. Make it a policy that no one smokes anywhere where the dumpster is within view.