For any professional street sweeping company, safety should always be a priority. The safety of its employees, as well as that of those around the job site be it a street in the suburbs, or a busy highway, should always come first.

Street sweepers are very powerful pieces of equipment, but they are generally very safe. Accidents involving street sweepers are not very common, but they do happen. That being the case, when looking to hire a street sweeping company, you should want to be sure that the company has a working plan in place to guarantee safety. As such during the preliminary screening, you should make a point of enquiring about the type of safety measures and standards that the company has in place. 

Some of the areas that an expert street sweeping service company will pay attention to for the sake of everyone’s safety include the following 

• Quality And Condition Of Equipment 

Sweeping companies should always invest in top-of-the-range equipment that is built to the highest standards. These street sweepers come fitted with important safety features which makes these units a lot safer to operate. 

Again, the company should ensure that the equipment is always in great condition at all times. To make this a reality, the company should invest in both preventive and corrective maintenance. Every street sweeper in the fleet should be serviced on a regular basis. Before being dispatched for a job, the road sweeper units should be inspected by a qualified technician just to make certain that the unit is indeed in good condition.

• Who Is Behind The Wheel

The safe operation of street sweepers is as much about the operators as it is about the equipment itself.  Street sweeping companies should only hire professionals with the right skills and training to safely operate every piece of equipment they are charged to operate.  Experience also plays a great part, and that is why the company should have operators who have mastered their work through years of relevant experience.

A company that invests in on-the-job training for its staff is always a good bet. There are several safety courses that are suited for operators of street sweepers. 

Street sweeping companies should also thoroughly vet all their employees before hiring. Any operator that is working a street sweeper while under the influence of alcohol or any other drug is a real danger to their own person, as well as other people.

• Operation Habits 

The smallest of mistakes can be very costly when it comes to safety. Similarly, it is the seemingly smallest of things that will also make a world of difference in maintaining safety. Driving within the prescribed speed limits is one such practice that will make a great difference. 

Another thing is to ensure that there is enough space when driving, which also says something about choosing the right type and size of the sweeper for the job at hand. Operators should also ensure that they are not distracted, by, say, loud music. Because road sweepers can be very loud, earplugs and muffs are ok, but plugging in earphones to listen to music while on the job will only cause undesirable distraction.

Street sweeper safety is not a responsibility that should be borne only by the street sweeping company. Pedestrians also have their own role to play. As a pedestrian, there is quite a lot that you can do to ensure your own safety. This includes, but is not limited, to ensuring that you strictly adhere to the following guidelines

• Be aware of your surroundings. A moment of lost concentration as you focus on texting on your phone or listening to music over your headphones can be the moment that changes everything.
• Do not walk against the way that the street sweepers are going. As a matter of fact, if you can avoid walking near the street sweepers altogether, then the better for your own safety.
• If your car is parked in the path of the street sweepers. This is not only for your vehicle’s safety but also because it will make it easier for the operators to do their job. The street sweeping company will provide a schedule for the cleaning and it makes it all the more convenient for everyone if you can get your vehicles off the road during scheduled cleaning times.

Safe Street Sweeping

If you are looking for a street sweeping company that is 100% committed to safety, WA Sweeping should always be your first choice. From ensuring that they have the right equipment to working with well trained and experienced personnel, the company’s commitment to guaranteeing the safety of everyone is as clear as its commitment to providing top quality street sweeping services. You can rest assured that you, along with everyone else, will be in safe hands when you choose WA Sweeping.