Safety Sequel

SUMMER IS THE TIME FOR SEQUELS. This year, movie audiences are eagerly taking in “Spider-Man 3,” “Shrek the Third,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.”

The latest installment of the National Solid Wastes Management Association's (NSWMA) “Be Safe, Be Proud” video series may not get quite the press attention of the above-mentioned flicks, but it is sure to be of significant interest to the solid waste industry.

“Be Safe, Be Proud: Safety Awareness for Supervisors and Route Managers,” which premiered in May at WasteExpo, has been selling at a brisk pace, according to David Biderman, who serves as general counsel for NSWMA and also oversees the organization's safety efforts. The 22-minute video aims to help supervisors, route managers and driver trainers observe their employees and teach the workers how to perform their jobs safely.

Biderman says the topic of the video was determined after consulting with haulers. “In our discussions with haulers, a consistent theme was the need to get route supervisors to ‘buy into’ safety and the need to train them to implement new safety initiatives,” he says. “Some supervisors are former drivers or helpers, and may have developed unsafe work habits, which many companies are working hard to correct. The video provides a training tool for accomplishing that goal.”

NSWMA's three previous safety videos addressed residential collection, landfills and transfer stations.

Like its predecessors, “Be Safe, Be Proud: Safety Awareness for Supervisors and Route Managers” was produced with a grant from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

NSWMA partnered with Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Republic Services to make the video, and Mike Lambert, the company's safety director, helped write the script and organize the filming, which took place in February at a Republic facility in Jacksonville, Fla. “As do the previous videos, the new one uses humor, music and personal stories to drive home the importance of working safely,” Biderman says.

And what about the next installment? “We are likely to make additional safety videos in the future,” Biderman says.

The latest video can be purchased in either a DVD or VHS format for $59 each. The video also will be available in Spanish later this summer.

For more information on the video, contact Biderman at (800) 424-2869 or [email protected], or visit www.nswma.org to download an order form.

Also, to find out more about NSWMA's other safety programs and activities, visit www.nswma.org and click on the “Safety” link.