Human activities create waste. The way this waste is handled and disposed of, exposes the environment and public health to risks. Waste collection helps maintain cities clean and protects from diseases and hence is considered one of the most dangerous occupations while municipal waste represents the greatest and most diverse set of hazards of all waste management aspects. Waste collecting and municipal urban cleaning exposes workers to a variety of risk factors such as dust, bioaerosols, volatile organic matter and mechanical stress, which make them susceptible to certain occupational diseases. Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the cleaning industry is considered front line in terms of exposure. Collecting waste is a physically demanding job, associated with a high prevalence various disorders while the cleaning industry suffers from a negative public perception because of associations with dirt and waste aggravated also by discrimination, for example by gender or ethnicity. Although the health and safety needs of Municipality Urban Cleaners (MUC) are well defined in the international research, training for these employees is limited and not repetitive. Usually MUC receive a short introduction to the job which is not followed by frequent training. This project aims to improve health and safety of MUCs.The specific objectives are to: 1. Develop an interactive training curriculum reflecting the specific needs of MUC and their supervisors 2. Increase knowledge, skills and competencies in order to identify and control occupational hazards, motivate involvement and build ownership in safety culture 3. Evaluate the efficiency of an innovative educational practice, in health and safety, tailor made for MUC. 4. Establish communication channels for hazard reporting so workers know who to contact and how to prevent a potential accident 5. Impact VET and educational systems in accommodating changes to academic curricula for health and safety professionals The principal target group of the MUC-training for health project includes MUC workers and their representatives as well as supervisors and employers. In addition we aim to reach related researchers, scientists and policy makers. The project will train over 18 staff members and 100 members of the target groups through the e-learning platform. Through the multiplier events over 160 participants will be approached, while through the project dissemination an audience more than 1,000 stakeholders will be reached. The main activities of the project include: (1) Country and EU reports on the state of health and training opportunities of MUC (2) Focus groups to give voice to MUC in terms of training needs and expectations (3) Development of training (4) Co creation activities and a joint staff training event (5) Development of an e-learning platform and relevant training of MUCs (6) Guidance for VET providers and academic institutions The consortium includes 6 partners from Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Bulgaria and Poland of which 3 are municipalities and 3 scientific research organizations with a particular interest in health and safety of MUC. The methodology includes review and research activities to describe the state of the art while participatory and co creation activities will ensure that the target group’s needs and expectations are taken into consideration. Training will be available from an e-learning platform. The “Guidance and recommendations for VET trainers” will provide guidelines for VET providers and stakeholders for further exploitation of the training. Multiplier transnational and national events will enhance exchange of knowledge between the target groups, VET and service providers, relevant authorities at local/regional level, professional associations, academic institutions, government services and policymakers at national/European level. This novel initiative will increase participants’ competence on health and safety issues of MUC being front line workers especially during public health emergencies such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. MUC workers will be able to (1) recognize and understand the importance of workplace hazards, (2) identify common workplace hazards, (3) understand how to reduce/control risks (4) know how to react in an emergency (5) know their safety-related rights and responsibilities at work and finally (6) know whom to talk to about health and safety issues at the workplace. The long term impact of the project is to improve the quality of life of MUC as well as their job satisfaction and performance. It will provide hands-on guidelines, evaluated practices and material that can be easily adopted by anyone interested. Furthermore, the e-learning platform, available in multiple languages, will be accessible after project completion. The project envisions to contribute to the specialized training received by MUC workers involved in urban waste cleaning and hence to the health and well-being of cities.
The project implemented aimed to improve the health and safety of MUCs. The goals achieved were: 1. An interactive training program was developed to reflect the specific needs of MUC in terms of knowledge, skills, abilities to identify and control occupational hazards, motivate participation and build cultural safety. 2. Evaluated the effectiveness of an innovative health and safety training practice adapted to MUCs. 3. Established communication channels for hazard reporting so workers know who to contact and how to prevent a potential accident. 4. Impact of VET and education systems in adapting to changes in academic curricula for health and safety professionals. 5. In addition to the main target group of MUC-training for Health, we contacted researchers, scientists and policy makers in order to set training targets according to legislation and legislative processes. 6. Improving access to training and qualifications for all, supporting the adoption of innovative approaches, improving and expanding the provision of high quality learning opportunities for adults. 7. The use of e-learning methodology is in line with the objective of increasing the use of digital learning, which has proved vital during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Waste collection helps maintain cities clean, protects from diseases and hence is considered one of the most dangerous occupations while municipal waste represents the greatest and most diverse set of hazards of all waste management aspects. Waste collecting and municipal urban cleaning exposes workers to a variety of risk factors such as dust, bioaerosols, volatile organic matter and mechanical stress, which make them susceptible to occupational diseases. The project was designed to address several needs with regards to MUCs identified amongst the partnership which urged them to design, propose and implement the project. The first and foremost need of MUCs is the lack of training material reflecting their needs, given that none to few initiatives are available. Moreover, a safety culture is highly important for MUCs given the occupational hazards and dangers they face at a daily base, thus in need of training related to their health and safety. Finally, in order for the sector to increase its skills, competencies and knowledge VET, as well as the educational system must develop academic curricula for health and safety professionals in a manner that responds to their needs.