By Janice Comer Bradley

The Waste Equipment Technology  Association (WASTEC), one of the sub-associations of the Environmental Industry Associations (EIA), represents manufacturers, distributors and service providers to the solid waste and recycling industry. One of the primary roles that WASTEC serves is as the developer of standards that the industry uses in the design, operation, and safe use of equipment and facilities, and in the manufacture, compatibility and use of products. As secretariat, WASTEC manages the process of industry standards development from the initiation of a project to final publication.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Accredited Standards Committee Z245 on Equipment Technology and Operations for Wastes and Recyclable Materials and its subcommittees provide the structure for work on industry standards. Seven subcommittees comprised of industry experts and stakeholders have been established to draft the content of the standards.

ANSI standards must be revised, reaffirmed or withdrawn every five years, so the work on industry standards is always active. ANSI Z245 subcommittee 1 (SC1) is responsible for the revision of Z245.1 - 2008, Mobile Refuse Collection and Compaction Equipment - Safety Requirements. A revision of the 2008 standard that includes provisions for fall protection and ladder safety is in the process of seeking consensus approval with publication expected by late 2011.

ANSI Z245 subcommittee 2 (SC2) is responsible for the revision of Z245.2-2008, Stationary Compactors - Safety Requirements. This group is improving the safety requirements in the standard to reduce hazards associated with the manufacture and use of compacting equipment. In addition, SC2 is harmonizing the requirements with other industry Z245 standards, definitions and regulations. The revision to Z245.2-2008 will include updated equipment drawings, safety signage and decals, and will address arc flash and blast hazards.

Subcommittee 4 (SC4) manages the development and revision of Z245.41-2008, Facilities for the Processing of Commingled Recyclable Materials - Safety Requirements. This standard establishes safety requirements for the design, manufacture, assembly, modification, operation, cleaning, maintenance, servicing or repair of facilities such as landfills, material recovery facilities and transfer stations. The standard is being revised to address recent OSHA citation activity and will focus on single-stream and dual-stream facilities. SC4 is also in the process of developing a new industry standard, Z245.42-201x, Waste Transfer Station – Safety Requirements. Z245.42 is in the final proposal stage, and includes requirements for facility designers, owners, operators, users and equipment manufacturers.     
ANSI Z245 subcommittee 5 (SC5) is in the process of revising ANSI Z245.5-2008, Baling Equipment - Safety Requirements. This group continuously tries to reduce hazards associated with the manufacture and use of baling equipment. The revision will have new drawings, updated definitions and will address OSHA citations for equipment operation.

Subcommittee 7 (SC7) has developed two draft standards. Z245.7-201x, Standard for Size Reduction Equipment - Safety Requirement establishes safety and design requirements for the manufacture, modification, operation, installation, integration, cleaning, maintenance, service, and repair of industrial or commercial size reduction equipment. Z245.7A-199X, Tub Grinders - Safety Requirement establishes procedures for protecting personnel during set-up, normal operation, maintenance and service of mobile industrial tub grinders used in processing organic wastes. Both of these standards will move toward publication shortly.

In early 2012, subcommittees 3 and 6 will begin revising ANSI Z245.30-2008, Waste Containers - Safety Requirements, and Z245.60-2008, Waste Containers - Compatibility Dimensions.

Upcoming meetings of Z245 subcommittees include SC2 on compactors and SC5 on baling equipment (Sept. 13 in Chicago), and SC1 on mobile equipment and SC4 on facilities (Nov. 15 in Austin, Texas).

Janice Comer Bradley is the executive vice president for the Waste Equipment Technology Association. For more information about any of these activities, email [email protected].