D&O Garbage

As heat waves become more frequent and intense, businesses are increasingly faced with the challenge of ensuring the safety and well-being of their workers. From adjusting work hours to investing in advanced cooling technologies, some local companies are adopting a wide range of strategies to protect employees from the adverse effects of extreme heat. At D&O Garbage, a third-generation family business in Salem, employee safety is a top priority.  

It was early July, the week before Oregon’s last heat wave, when temperatures were expected to be over 100 degrees. D&O Garbage assembled a meeting with their drivers to discuss possibly starting their workday earlier than usual. “We’ve got a good group of guys driving for us,” said route manager Dave Marxer. “Everybody was on board.” After receiving approval from the City of Salem, D&O Garbage was able to begin their garbage pickup routes at 5 a.m. instead of 6 a.m.  

Thanks to technology added in 2020, D&O Garbage uses tablets to run its routes. The tablet, which each driver has in the cab of their truck, makes the routes more seamless and efficient and allows managers to redistribute portions of the routes. “I was able to take a chunk of every garbage route and move it onto a different tablet so that our floater employee could get in a truck and do those sections,” said Mr. Marxer. “So not only did we start early, but we also got them off work early.” Instead of ending the day at 4:30, the team was off work at 3:00. 

When temperature and humidity increase, so does the risk. Workers exposed to excessive heat are at risk of developing heat-related illnesses, including heat rash and cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include dizziness, headache, rapid pulse, nausea, and vomiting. The symptoms of heat stroke include high body temperature, confusion, and convulsions. Heat stroke can be fatal. 

Preparing for the heat 

The key to responding to inclement weather, be it heat, snow, or ice, is to have a plan already in place. Thanks to their heat illness prevention plan, implemented in 2019, D&O Garbage could quickly respond to high temperatures. As part of that plan, all new employees receive training to identify the symptoms of heat rash and heat stroke and what to do if they experience these symptoms. Every June, before high temperatures typically manifest, all employees revisit this training.  

Additional safety measures: 

• D&O Garbage purchased 40-oz. stainless steel water bottles for all the drivers, who are encouraged to fill them with ice and water before heading out on their route. They also keep bottled water and Gatorade in their shop fridge. 

• D&O Garbage takes care of their equipment, regularly servicing the trucks to ensure the air conditioning is charged and in good working order to prepare for the warmer season. 

• All fire extinguishers in their trucks and maintenance shop are inspected at the beginning of summer. 

• D&O invested in a Portacool evaporative cooler for the maintenance shop, which helps to reduce temperatures by 10-15 degrees—even when the bay doors are open. 
• When garbage trucks need to be repaired, D&O Garbage raises them using Stertil-Koni mobile column lifts. This allows maintenance technicians to stand while repairing instead of lying under a warm vehicle. 

Going the extra safety mile 

D&O’s safety efforts extend beyond heat protection. They are in their fifth year of certification in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). This program recognizes small business employers who have used OSHA’s Onsite Consultation Program services and operate exemplary safety and health programs.  

For D&O Garbage, becoming certified began with a year-long process. They worked with consultants from OSHA and SAIF who came onsite to review their written safety program and check onsite chemicals, noise levels inside the trucks, and air quality levels in the shop while welding occurred. Since then, OSHA consultants have visited annually to look for improvement opportunities, and D&O Garbage has consistently raised its scores every year. 

By prioritizing the comfort and safety of their teams, D&O demonstrates its commitment to its most valuable asset: its people. 

Click here for information on how to prevent temperature-related injuries and illnesses.