Recycling Industry Safety

Image of recycling center and a powered industrial truck picking up shredded cardboard

While recycling is good for the environment, it can be dangerous for workers. Certain materials that are recycled or reused, such as scrap metal, electronics, batteries, and used oil and other chemicals, have materials that directly pose hazards to workers. In addition to those hazards, there are some hazards that are common across various types of recycling, such as traffic safety, moving machine parts, unexpected machine startup, lifting injuries, and slips, trips, and falls.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2021 for every 100 employees in the recyclable material merchant wholesalers industry 4.1 employees were injured. 1.8 out of every 100 employees were injured severely enough to cause them to miss work or require a job transfer or restricted job duties. There is a clear need for employees working in the recycling industry to know the potential hazards they may be exposed to and how to protect themselves.

To help you develop and implement a safety program at your recycling facility, OSHAcademy offers courses and programs that are designed to equip employers and workers with the knowledge necessary to identify potential hazards and mitigate risk at your worksite.

Courses For Your Industry

Click here to review our full list of courses.

Programs to Consider

Click here to review our full list of programs.

Please note: Our training courses provide essential general knowledge awareness training about each topic, however an employer must provide training for the specific equipment, policies, and procedures in use at their work site(s).

Request a business account today!

We'll be able to set up an account within 1 to 2 business days at NO COST!