SWANA CEO Wins PRECO Electronics’ Annual Safety in Motion Award

Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) Executive Director and CEO David Biderman was awarded PRECO Electronics’ Safety in Motion Award for his “unparalleled commitment to safety” in 2016.

The Safety in Motion Award is given annually to honor industry leaders who PRECO believes show initiative, imagination, and involvement regarding their approach to safety, distinguishing themselves as a voice of safety for the industry.

“I am very pleased to accept this award, which is really a reflection of SWANA’s renewed focus on reducing accidents and injuries throughout the industry,” Biderman said in a statement. “SWANA’s International Board, chapters, technical divisions, and members all recognize the importance of working safely and are committed to improving the industry’s safety performance.”

Since becoming executive director and CEO at SWANA less than two years ago, Biderman has transformed SWANA’s safety program by adding numerous safety events at the chapter level, expanding the Safety Summit at major conferences, supervising the distribution of Safety Alerts on a regular basis, developing new safety resources for members and creating a Safety Ambassador program.

Refuse and recyclable materials collection remains the fifth most dangerous job in the U.S according to the 2015 National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries released last month; this disturbing statistic will be a driving force behind SWANA’s safety efforts in 2017.

“We will continue to provide high quality safety resources to the entire industry – to employers and employees in both the public and private sectors, with the goal of getting the industry off the list of 10 most dangerous jobs,” Biderman said. “Nothing we do is more important.”