Every day, we run our faucets, flush our toilets, and enjoy the convenience and sanitary benefits of indoor plumbing. Fortunately for us, sewage and wastewater plants are in place in order to handle the volume of the plumbing we use. Sewage and wastewater treatment plant workers play a vital role in our society. Their jobs are important yet it can be very, very dangerous.
During construction and maintenance of sewage and wastewater facilities, workers have been injured and even killed by flooding, trench collapses, slips, falls, and exposure to toxic chemicals. During their regular employment, plant workers can be exposed to a variety of biological hazards which include but are not limited to bacteria, funguses, viruses, and parasites. These biohazards have been known to lead to gastrointestinal distress, fever, breathing problems, and a myriad of other harmful symptoms.
Fortunately, these risks have been identified and regulations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are in place. All plants are required to go through extensive safety training with employees, provide clean water for hand washing, provide appropriate safety equipment, and offer cleaning services for clothing and equipment. These regulations help to save people from significant injury every day, but it is still important for plant workers to stay vigilant with it comes to protecting their own health and safety.
If you or a loved one works in a sewage or wastewater treatment plant, take the following steps to help prevent disease and/or injury:
- Wash your hands often and thoroughly, especially before eating and before leaving work for the day.
- Wear all of your protective gear and take safety practices seriously.
- Remove work clothes before heading home for the day, you do not want to bring biohazards home.
- Stay up to date with healthcare screening and vaccinations.
- Report injury or illness right away.
- If you are injured in the workplace, call us for representation.