Property Preservation and Dumpsters

When we think about dumpsters and trash cans we don’t typically think of them as a safety hazard. In fact, we keep them close because nobody likes to drag a trash bag across the street or carry a heavy trash can very far. But what happens when these containers catch fire?  

Nothing good, as a recent news story from a downtown commercial area in Minnesota reminds us.

It's difficult to know what is being thrown away daily, or what the public puts into dumpsters. We know all too well that sometimes dumpsters and trash cans are used incorrectly and contain items that should not be disposed of. In addition, many times dumpsters and trash cans are positioned just outside the back door of a building for easy access or due to space limitations. This is a bad combo.

Dumpsters should be kept a minimum of 50 feet from any building and, if possible, secured. The security will discourage misuse of the dumpster, but more importantly the distance could keep a dumpster fire from becoming a structural fire that damages property and puts lives at risk.

Submitted by: Troy Walsh, Loss Control Consultant