Litter Clean-up Safety Tips
Your Safety Matters ...
Thank you for helping to Keep Manassas Beautiful!
Here's what you will receive:Please make sure you have what you need before you do your clean-up.
- Hi-Visibility Vests
- Gloves (not latex)
- Litter pickers
- Pool rakes (for stream clean-ups)
- Brightly colored trash bags
Timing is everything ...
- Check the weather report before you head out the door. Bad weather can turn paper and other litter into a slippery mess.
- Park vehicles in a safe and legal parking area that does not obstruct traffic.
- Schedule your litter clean-up during daytime hours when the traffic is relatively light.
Dress for the job ...
- Always wear sturdy work or garden gloves during a clean-up and wash your hands afterward.
- Be prepared to encounter poisonous weeds like poison ivy or sumac – which can cause nasty skin irritations.
- Put Hi-Visibility vests on BEFORE you start collecting and always face traffic as you work so that drivers can see you - and you can see them.
- Wear long pants, a long-sleeve shirt, socks, and sturdy boots or shoes (NO SANDALS.)
Work as a team ...
- Always designate a leader to keep track of volunteers and clean-up details.
- Avoid horse-play, during your clean-up, to ensure your safety and that of others.
- Provide at least one adult supervisor for every group of six young people under eighteen years of age.
Cleaning Trails and Streams ...
- Always work in pairs.
- Apply insect repellent before entering wooded areas or working near water.
- Do not step into high vegetation and stay alert. These areas are home to poisonous plants as well as snakes and other wildlife.
Avoid dangerous or unsafe litter ...