Skip Bin Safety Tips
Hiring a skip bin might seem like a simple task that doesn’t require much thought. What’s so hard about hiring a skip? Although the hiring process might be easy, there’s a number of important safety tips to be aware of so that you’re properly disposing of waste and using the skip bin in a safe and controlled way. If employees or yourself aren’t aware of the appropriate way to use a skip bin or the types of materials that can be placed inside, you could be putting yourself at risk of injury or may incur extra charges on your skip bin hire.
Check What You Can/Can’t Put In the Skip Bin
This is an essential first tip for using your skip bin in a responsible and safe fashion. There are certain local regulations and laws that you need to be aware of so that if you’re hiring skip bins in Rockingham, you’re not violating any of these by putting certain hazardous materials into your bin.
Some of the items that should not be placed in your skip bin include:
- Asbestos
- Solvents
- Vehicle Tyres
- Gas Bottles
- Batteries
Don’t Overfill Your Bin
Although it can be tempting to save a few bucks and start to pile up all your rubbish in one skip to avoid hiring another one, it could create a dangerous situation. Not only could you be putting you or your employees at risk, but you’ll also be hit with extra charges for overfilling the skip bin. Make sure that you hire the correct sized bins so you don’t have the worry of going overboard when it’s time to fill it up.
Distribute the Weight Properly
When you’re just starting to fill up your skip bin, make sure that you’re putting those large and heavy items at the bottom. If you wait until the end to place these on top, you run the risk of tipping the bin, or having a heavy item fall out and potentially injure someone. The same applies for when the skip bin is being picked up by the truck. With heavy items at the top, the bin may topple over as it’s being loaded onto the truck.
Keep the Area around the Skip Bin Clean
This is something that often gets forgotten on many construction sites or jobs where there’s a large amount of waste and debris. It’s very easy for some bits of rubbish or debris to build up around the skip bin area, with potentially hazardous materials being an accident waiting to happen for employees. You should make it a common practice and encourage other employees to regularly clean up the area around the skip bin, so you can catch these accidents before they occur.
Avoid Smoking around the Skip Bin
Depending on the type of work you’re doing, some of the materials you could be placing in the skip bin may be flammable. It’s essential that you create safety notices and educate staff on the importance of keeping the area around your skip bin a smoke free zone. This is particularly relevant to those disposing of paper or dry wood as these could easily catch fire.
Hiring a skip bin means that you must comply with all relevant safety and legal regulations to ensure you keep your workplace and employees safe. These simple skip bin safety tips can help create a more productive and safe space, so that you can continue to work with as little disruption as possible.
