SAFETY AND HEALTH RISKS RELATED TO URBAN SOLID WASTE COLLECTION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

The collection of urban solid waste represents a global challenge due to including various safety and health risks to which collection workers are exposed. The objective of this review was to identify research and review studies conducted on the topic of occupational safety and health, risks and solutions during urban solid waste collection, and to discuss the types of accidents, injuries, symptoms, disorders and give recommendations on risk management measures which could be applied in order to eliminate or minimize risks. A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) review was conducted in the Science Direct database by using the keywords "occupational safety" AND "waste management". 12.233 publications were firstly found, which was reduced to 23 studies after applying all selection criteria. The studies show that sharp materials, slips and falls were the main risk agents, while musculoskeletal, respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms and disorders were identified as the most common illnesses and diseases. Improvements could be made by applying waste containers applying personal protective equipment, but also by following safety procedures recommended by ANSI Z245.1, 2017. Management of the risks present in the waste collection activity according to the OHSAS 18001 hierarchy of control measures.