IRSST - Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail

Optimal layout of trucks with articulated arms for household waste collection

Abstract

A previous study on the biological agents and ergonomic constraints related to the use of trucks with articulated arms demonstrated a significant reduction in the main health and safety hazards to which waste collectors doing conventional waste collection are exposed. However, it also demonstrated new problems related to the physical layout of recent trucks and their maintenance and cleaning operations. The authors had proposed driving station and cab layout criteria, taking into account the manufacturer’s potential constraints. This publication presents the evaluation of the improvements made by applying these modifications and proposes other solutions.
A list of the problems and the technical means for correcting them has been produced. Furthermore, 77% of the identified problems have already been solved. The ASTE will use the research results to produce a technical fact sheet describing the improvement criteria and the solutions. These results will also allow garbage trucks with articulated arms to be optimized in relation to the requirements of the waste collectors’ new tasks.

Additional Information

Type: Project
Number: 0099-3830
Status: Completed
Year of completion: 2006
Team:
  • Jacques Lavoie (IRSST)
  • Serge Guertin (Ergo Norme inc.)
  • Manon Trudel (Via Prévention (Association paritaire de santé et de sécurité du travail, secteur transport et entreposage))
  • Michel Filion (Equipement Labrie Ltée)