Feasibility Study: Health Risks of Street Sweepers

Project No. IPA 146

Status:

completed 10/2020

Aims:

Street cleaners/sweepers are burdened with a wide range of physical and psychological factors. With the use of literature analysis, the health complaints and diseases of street cleaners should be recorded and, if necessary, consequences for the respective German Social Accident Insurance Institutions (UVT) (e.g. prevention measures, research requirements) should be derived from this.

Activities/Methods:

In this feasibility study, the current state of knowledge should be documented in order to decide afterwards whether concrete action is required. First, a systematic literature search (international) is performed. In addition, the results of the questionnaire-based model project VerEna (Prevention of work-related health hazards in the waste disposal sector, 1999 to 2005) is re-evaluated in detail and focused on street cleaning. Together with the results of the literature search, the special stresses and strains of employees during street cleaning caused by climatic conditions, UV light, dust, biological substances (infections), noise, musculoskeletal strains, psychomental requirements, odour nuisance, etc. as well as the possibly resulting health disorders are presented.

Last Update:

12 Nov 2021

Project

Research institution(s):
  • Berufsgenossenschaft Verkehrswirtschaft Post-Logistik Telekomunikation (BG Verkehr)
  • Unfallkasse NRW
  • Unfallkasse Hessen
  • Unfallkasse Berlin
  • Unfallkasse Baden-Württemberg
  • INQA
  • Sachgebiet Abfallwirtschaft
Branche(s):

waste management

Type of hazard:

biological agents, dangerous substances, noise/vibrations

Catchwords:

allergenic substances, biological agents, occupational medical prevention

Description, key words:

Prevention, health and safety management, hazard risks, exposition, street sweeper

Contact