4 ways to practice fire safety

Ahh summertime! Fireflies, watermelon, pool parties, and bonfires are just some of the activities we enjoy each year. The sunny days also mean drier, windier weather with soaring temperatures. Fire safety is an important practice to ensure that no fire causes damage or gets out of control. In the waste disposal industry, fires can start in the hoppers of the trucks, causing significant damage and danger to the driver. Here are some ways you can help keep our trucks and drivers safe!

1. Watch the weather

If it is hot and dry, avoid having campfires. You can typically find out from your local fire department or weather service whether it is safe to have a fire.

2. make sure ashes are extinguished

Keep hot ashes out of trash carts and containers. If you have ashes that need to be disposed of, make sure they have not been burned in the past 14 days. Even after a week, there can still be hot spots and embers that can ignite flammable items in a container. Another way to make sure the ashes are cold is to spray water on them a few times to fully extinguish any remaining embers.

3. dispose of fireworks properly

Wait 14 days to dispose of any fireworks. Like ashes, fireworks can remain hot for quite a few days after lighting. Keep any fireworks in a separate container and after about 2 weeks, place them in your dumpster for disposal.

4. keep trash cart away from flames

Make sure your cart or container is at least 6 feet away from any open flames. Because the radiant heat can still be transferred even though the flames don’t touch the container, poly carts can melt and metal containers could ignite any trash or dry brush inside.

As the end of summer nears, enjoy the bonfires, smores, and sound of cicadas. Remember, safety first!