Hazard from glass in rubbish bags

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33424, 4 January 1974, Page 10

Hazard from glass in rubbish bags

“This is the sort of thing- that common sense savs not to do — but people continue to do it,” said the Paparua County Engineer (Mr J. D. Annan) yesterday, when lie told of an accident to one of the council’s refuse collection men.

On the round yesterday the man received a severe cut to his hand when he picked up a bag. and broken glass punctured it. The wound required 10 stitches. "This was a plastic bag—not one of our paper ones,” said Mr Annan. “One of the reservations I have about plastic bags is that they puncture so easily.” When the Paparua County Council initiated the paperbag rubbish collection in the city four years ago, complaints from the staff of cuts from broken glass led to the issue by the council of protective gloves, and an appeal to the public not to put glass in the bags. “We gave the men leather gauntlets, but they won’t wear them in hot weather,” said Mr Annan. “The men accept the fact that there is

a hazard in handling the bags, but the public could help by not putting loose glass in the bags.” He said the man concerned had expressed no rancour, and bad seemed to feel that he had been the unlucky one — but a senior council employee had told the woman responsible what had happened through her carelessness.

“1 don’t think she will put broken glass out again,” said Mr Annan.