Sanitation Worker Flashcards

What does the term 'put-out rate' refer to in NYC sanitation operations?

Answer: The percentage of residents on a route who set out garbage for collection

Put-out rate measures the proportion of stops on a route where residents actually set out refuse for collection.

Which body part is most commonly injured among sanitation workers during collection operations?

Answer: Lower back

Lower back injuries are the most prevalent injury for sanitation workers due to repetitive heavy lifting and awkward body positions.

Under DSNY regulations, what is the maximum weight a single refuse bag presented for collection should ideally not exceed?

Answer: 50 pounds

DSNY guidelines recommend that individual refuse bags not exceed 50 pounds to protect workers from injury during collection.

A sanitation worker discovers a syringe in a bag of garbage while collecting. What is the safest procedure?

Answer: Use puncture-resistant gloves and a grabber tool, then report it

Sharps must be handled with puncture-resistant protection and appropriate tools; workers should also report the incident per DSNY protocol.

What type of vehicle is used by NYC DSNY specifically for collecting recyclable paper and cardboard?

Answer: Dual-bin collection truck

DSNY uses dual-bin trucks to collect paper and cardboard separately from metal/glass/plastic recyclables in a single pass.

When approaching a parked car blocking access to refuse bags on a collection route, what should a sanitation worker do?

Answer: Skip the location and continue the route, documenting the missed stop

Blocked stops should be documented as missed pickups and reported; workers must not create unsafe conditions to access refuse.

NYC Local Law 199 requires organics collection for large residential buildings. How many units must a building have to qualify?

Answer: 10 or more units

Under NYC's organics collection mandate, buildings with 10 or more residential units must participate in the curbside organics program.