MANILA, Philippines – The Quezon City Council has approved a resolution requiring all private garbage collection contractors of the city to provide their garbage collection personnel proper coverall uniforms and body protection gear.
The resolution authored, by Councilor Jessica Castelo-Daza, also mandated the city’s Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department to strictly comply with its provisions.
Castelo-Daza said garbage collection personnel of private garbage collection contractors usually do their job with their bare hands and in short pants, t-shirts and rubber slippers.
“Allowing these collectors to work without proper uniform and body protection gear actually exposes them to germs and bacteria, which could lead to an increased risk of contracting a serious illness, such as hepatitis or infections,” she said.
The councilor added that garbage collection personnel also face extremely dangerous work conditions because their jobs involve maneuvering around huge trucks, lifting heavy loads, operating compacting machines and handling potentially dangerous waste materials.
“Therefore, there is a need to protect the physical health of these garbage collection personnel, who are prone to acquire contagious diseases due to the nature of their work,” Castelo-Daza said.