As students head back to school and streets grow busier with children, buses, and parents, waste collection crews face heightened risks on the job.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, waste collection ranks as the fourth most dangerous occupation in America.

This episode of Right on Time with RouteSmart takes a hard look at how the industry can make waste collection safer during the back-to-school rush—and beyond.

In this episode, RouteSmart Senior Communications Manager and podcast host Matthew Kemeny welcomes three distinguished guests:

• David Biderman, national safety advocate for the waste collection industry and former executive director of the Solid Waste Authority of North America (SWANA).
• Jessica Cearfoss, Senior Business Development Manager at RouteSmart, who works with waste collection organizations.
• Danielle Baci, Senior Client Success Manager at RouteSmart, who also works with waste collection organizations.

Together, they unpack the leading causes of fatalities in the industry—workers struck by their own trucks or passing vehicles—and why these tragedies occur more frequently among smaller haulers than large national companies.

The discussion explores how dangerous practices, such as meandering on busy streets, put workers in harm’s way, and how simple adjustments—such as shifting to same-side collection—can dramatically improve safety.

Proper route planning also plays a leading role. Listeners will learn how RouteSmart’s penalty settings, time-window controls, and intersection-level customization help clients reduce risk in high-traffic zones, especially near schools.

Combined with local expertise, these tools empower companies to plan safer, more efficient routes while avoiding costly accidents and multimillion-dollar claims.

The episode also highlights:

• Why seatbelts and high-visibility clothing remain critical, everyday defenses for crews
• How public awareness and responsible disposal of hazardous materials (like lithium-ion batteries) can save lives
• The importance of safety incentives, from public recognition to innovative programs modeled abroad
• Training fundamentals that keep teams fit for work, prepared for pre-trip inspections, and committed to route adherence

Above all, this conversation reinforces a vital truth: everyone—drivers, planners, and the public—plays a role in ensuring that waste workers make it home safely each day. Safety isn’t seasonal; it’s a year-round responsibility.

Right on Time with RouteSmart is the podcast that brings industry leaders together to discuss the challenges and innovations shaping waste and recycling, postal and parcel, newspaper delivery, and utility/field service route planning and optimization.

To learn more about RouteSmart and how intelligent route planning can improve safety and efficiency, visit RouteSmart.com
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