Working as a trash collector is no walk in the park. You have to withstand the foul-smelling garbage while having to handle the grime and filth associated with it.
Beyond the unpleasantness, collecting trash can at times be dangerous business too, as you’ll soon see.
On Saturday (26 Oct), Ms Karen Wong shared on the 50 Shades of Singapore Facebook group that her friend – who works as a trash collector – was recently sent to a hospital after he was badly cut by an exposed piece of broken mirror in a trash bag.
She urged others to dispose of such dangerous waste properly so waste collectors can work in a safer work environment.
The post has since garnered over 3,000 shares. Here’s her post in full:
According to Ms Wong’s post, her friend was picking up a garbage bag when he was badly cut by exposed pieces of glass from a broken mirror.
The glass allegedly “sliced through” his anterior artery and muscle tissues which led to extreme blood loss.
As a result of his severe injuries, he was rushed to the nearest hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.
Post-surgery, the waste collector apparently has “20 staples” and “10 stitches” inside and outside his leg respectively.
Source
The garbage collector will also have a scar on his leg for the rest of his life.
In her post, Ms Wong also urged Singaporeans to dispose of “sharp and fragile” waste responsibly.
Specifically, she hopes Singaporeans would place their sharp objects in cardboard boxes before throwing them away.
Ms Wong also took the chance to share why Singaporeans should appreciate waste collectors more.
According to her, garbage collectors start their shifts early in the morning and may collect up to 30 tonnes of garbage by hand every day.
They do not “wear suits of armour” which leave them exposed to sharp objects like shards of glass.
In the end, Ms Wong urges others to share her post to raise awareness about proper garbage disposal practices and hopes fellow Singaporeans will treat trash collectors with “respect and love”.
We are saddened by the unfortunate incident and hope that the waste collector would make a full recovery soon.
We hope Singaporeans would spare a thought for those collecting our trash by disposing of sharp objects properly and responsibly.
What other waste disposal practices should Singaporeans keep in mind to prevent dangerous incidents like this from happening in the future? Share them in the comments below!
Featured image adapted from Facebook and NUS.
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