Health & Safety Policy — Commercial Waste Edmonton

Commercial Waste Edmonton is committed to protecting the health, safety and welfare of all employees, contractors, visitors and the public affected by our operations. This policy applies across our entire rubbish collection service area and guides our approach to safe rubbish removal, commercial refuse handling and commercial waste transport. The aim is to prevent injury and ill health, minimise environmental harm and ensure safe, efficient waste management practices.

Scope and Objectives

This document covers responsibilities, risk controls and procedures for day-to-day operations including skip hire, bin collection, on-site waste segregation and vehicle-based removal of commercial rubbish. The objectives are to: eliminate hazards where possible, reduce risks through controls, ensure compliance with applicable standards and promote a strong safety culture across our rubbish company and its service area.

Responsibilities

Clear responsibilities are established to make safety integral to every task. Key duties include:

• Senior management — set policy, provide resources and ensure legal compliance for commercial waste operations.
• Supervisors — implement control measures, supervise safe rubbish removal and conduct site checks.
• Employees and drivers — follow procedures, use PPE and report hazards.
• Contractors — comply with our safety standards when engaged for commercial rubbish services.

Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment

We conduct systematic risk assessments for all routine and non-routine tasks such as manual handling of bins, vehicle loading, compaction, working at height when accessing large skips and interaction with public spaces. Controls are selected using a hierarchy: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls and PPE. Regular reviews ensure controls remain effective across our commercial waste routes and collection points.

Key hazards include slips, trips and falls, vehicle movements, manual handling injuries, exposure to sharp objects or biological contaminants and hazardous substances inadvertently mixed with commercial waste. Risk controls include traffic segregation, reflective clothing, mechanical aids, waste segregation policies and secure containment to reduce exposure during rubbish removal and transport.

Training, Competence and Supervision

All staff receive induction and role-specific training covering safe operation of collection vehicles, correct use of lifting aids, safe bin emptying techniques and dealing with hazardous items. Supervisors monitor competencies and schedule refresher training. Apprentices and new starters are paired with experienced operators until competent in commercial refuse handling and waste collection activities.

Emergency Preparedness and Response: Incidents such as spills, fires or contact with hazardous materials require clear, rehearsed responses. Emergency procedures include:

• Immediate isolation of the area and communication to site management.
• First-aid and medical assistance where required.
• Containment and clean-up using approved materials and contractors.
• Incident investigation and corrective actions to prevent recurrence.

These measures protect employees handling commercial waste and minimise environmental impact from accidental releases.

Equipment, Vehicles and Maintenance — Vehicles and plant used for rubbish removal are maintained to rigorous standards. Pre-shift vehicle checks, secure load procedures, regular servicing and documented maintenance records reduce mechanical failure risks. Mobile plant operators are trained and authorised. Lock-out/tag-out and isolation procedures apply during maintenance to prevent accidental operation.

Controls for manual handling include mechanical lifting aids for heavy bins, team lifting protocols and ergonomic training. Where feasible, we use specialist lifting equipment to limit manual handling of bulky commercial rubbish and segregated refuse streams to limit hazardous exposures.

Contractor Management and Supply Chain Safety: Contractors engaged for disposal, recycling or specialist waste removal are selected based on their safety performance and ability to meet our standards. Contracts include clear safety requirements, permit-to-work systems and verification of competence. Regular audits and monitoring of commercial rubbish service partners ensure consistent application of safe practices across the service area.

Performance Monitoring and Continuous Improvement: We monitor leading and lagging indicators such as near-miss reports, accident frequency, training completion rates and audit findings. Regular safety meetings, toolbox talks and operational reviews drive continuous improvement. Lessons learned from incidents are promptly shared and integrated into procedures to strengthen our approach to waste management and rubbish removal safety.

Health, Wellbeing and Worker Involvement: Employee welfare is essential to safe operations. We promote reporting of hazards, support mental health initiatives and ensure access to appropriate first-aid and medical support. Worker involvement in risk assessments and safety committees fosters ownership of safety measures and practical solutions for reducing risks in commercial rubbish services.

Environmental Protection and Spill Prevention: Our operations emphasise prevention of pollution from commercial waste activities. Measures include secure containment, appropriate waste segregation to avoid mixing hazardous and non-hazardous streams, spill kits on vehicles and procedures for safe transfer and disposal of liquids. These controls protect the community and environment while supporting sustainable waste management practices across the rubbish company service area.

Policy Review and Accountability: This policy is owned by senior management and is reviewed at planned intervals and after significant incidents or operational changes. Performance objectives are set and reviewed annually. Management ensures that adequate resources are allocated to implement and maintain the health and safety system that underpins safe commercial waste operations.

Implementation: All employees, contractors and stakeholders are expected to comply with this policy and contribute to a safe working environment. Non-compliance will be addressed through corrective action and, where appropriate, disciplinary procedures. By working together, we ensure that commercial waste and rubbish removal activities are conducted safely, responsibly and sustainably across our service area.