Substitute
Public Hearing: YES ? NO ? Department: Board of Commissioners
SUBJECT:
Title
Commission District(s): All Commission Districts
A Resolution to request that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide technical assistance
to evaluate injury risks associated with the extensive deployment of large Sanitation Roll Carts.
Body
Information Contact: Commissioner Jeff Rader
Phone Number: 404-371-2863
PURPOSE:
The CDC National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has confirmed the need for an
investigation to evaluate injury risk associated with large Sanitation Roll Carts as anticipated in the Sanitation
Division's 95-gallon Garbage Roll Cart Exchange Project. The evaluation will yield important information that
should inform the structure of the program and potentially identify alternatives to the current structure. CDC
requests a formal application for Technical Assistance from DeKalb County to initiate the investigation.
NEED/IMPACT:
Since advancing the automation of residential sanitation collection with "Rolling Forward to One", DeKalb
County has increased the amount and weight of garbage accumulated for collection by shifting to a weekly
cycle, and has standardized collection in larger roll cart containers. While these practices have resulted in
increased operational efficiency and occupational safety for sanitation collectors, the use of larger roll carts
collected less frequently have increased the physical burden of residential customers in moving the roll carts to
the curb on the one remaining collection day per week. In particular. older, physically weaker, and smaller
customers may be put at risk by the weight and ergonomics of large containers and environmental factors
including local topography. With another increase in roll cart size to 95 gallons, it is imperative to evaluate the
safety implications of the larger carts for customers. NIOSH confirms the ne...
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