When it comes to waste management tools for your commercial property, dumpster rentals are a great investment. They provide you with a central location for all of your company's waste, which helps to maintain a cleaner environment. If you're new to dumpster rental, you may not understand the inherent safety risks associated with adding one to the property, though. Here are a few things that you should know before you have a dumpster delivered to your business.

What Kinds Of Safety Concerns Are There?

Despite their convenience, dumpsters can be a serious concern when you have employees who are careless, inattentive or otherwise irresponsible. When your employees aren't responsible about disposing of waste, it leads to excessive debris around the dumpster area. This can often attract rodents and wild animals. In addition to the disease that they can spread, it also puts your employees and others on the property at risk of injury.

In addition, the dumpster can put your employees at risk of back injuries and the like if they are handling waste bags improperly. Inattention around the dumpster can cause falls and other injuries as well. Finally, a carelessly tossed cigarette butt can pose a fire hazard around a dumpster that's full of paper, fabric and other flammable materials.

What Safety Features Can You Ask For?

You can combat some of these concerns by planning ahead and working with the rental company to label the dumpster. Make sure that your dumpster comes with warning signs and necessary safety labels, including those that require the lids and side doors to be kept closed at all times.

If your company often has heavy loads of waste, look for a dumpster that has ramp access on the side so that you can easily dispose of heavy loads. The ramp may help reduce the risk of mishandling, which can protect against back injuries and similar concerns.

Before you have the dumpster delivered, have an enclosure built that is clearly labeled to keep people from climbing into the dumpster. Have the gate designed so that it locks automatically, because that will help to keep people out of the dumpster area unless they are throwing things away.

How Can You Reduce The Risk Of Fire?

Dumpster fires happen more often than you might think. The best protection against fire hazards starts with the location of your dumpster. Opt for a space that's some distance from your building. Consider putting the dumpster across the parking lot. That way, it's far from the smoking areas and anywhere that employees might congregate. In addition, make sure that the area is cleaned on a daily basis so that there is no loose debris in the enclosure. When there's no loose debris to catch fire and the dumpster is kept closed, you won't have to worry about a discarded cigarette butt causing a disaster. In addition, your property security measures can reduce the chance of vandalism leading to fire.

What Can You Do To Keep It Clean?

You have two options for keeping your dumpster clean. You can either rent roll-away dumpsters that are removed weekly and replaced with new, clean ones, or you can wash the dumpster out every few weeks. If you're going to wash it out, plan to do it right after the dumpster rental company comes to empty it.

Rinse it all out with a hose. Once you've done that, spray the inside with a mixture of warm water and disinfectant cleaner. Pull out the drain plugs at the bottom and allow it to drain, then rinse it thoroughly with the hose. Replace the drain plug and leave the dumpster empty and open for a few hours so that the sunlight can dry it.

With the tips here, you'll be better prepared to not only secure a dumpster rental for your property, but also keep your employees safe in the meantime. Talk with a local company like Parks & Sons of Sun City, Inc. for further insight or assistance.