Michigan Occupational Information System
 #091 - REFUSE COLLECTOR 

A Michigan Jobs & Career Portal   service.

Refuse Collectors, also known as garbage collectors, pick up trash and rubbish following an assigned route. The collections are then taken to and dumped at a designated site.  

JOB DUTIES    

Refuse Collectors may:

Pick up trash cans or garbage bags and dump them into a truck  

Operate controls to start compactors which compress the garbage  

Clean up spilled refuse  

Clean compacting equipment to prevent clogging  

Operate semi-automatic lifting devices which raise large containers and dump them into the truck body  

Drive garbage trucks  

Operate fully automatic refuse collection system using large metal or plastic containers picked up by driver alone  

The tools and equipment used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES   

Refuse Collectors may specialize in these areas:

955.687-022 GARBAGE COLLECTORS pick up trash and rubbish following an assigned route.  

905.663-010 GARBAGE COLLECTOR DRIVERS drive packer-type trucks, dump trucks, or trucks equipped with hydraulic lifting devices to collect garbage and trash and transport it to disposal areas.  

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also wish to explore the following MOIScripts:  

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS    

Refuse Collectors sometimes work alone, as in the case of those operating a one-person loader-packer truck. They may also work in crews of up to five on trucks in which garbage, in bags or cans, is dumped into the truck by hand. Refuse Collectors receive information on schedules and routes from supervisors at a central garbage truck depot.  

Refuse Collectors work outside in all kinds of weather. They are also exposed to bad odors and messy garbage containers.  

The standard workweek is 40 hours. Work schedules may be spread over 5 or 6 days, depending on the size of the collection area and the number of routes. Overtime work may be necessary when the amount of garbage to be picked up is larger than normal. Some cities schedule the work by routes, and pay for a full day even if the assigned route is completed in less than 8 hours.  

In some cases, Workers must supply their own work clothes, gloves, and shoes.  

Most Refuse Collectors belong to either The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen and Helpers of America (Teamsters) or The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and pay periodic dues.  

You Should Prefer:

• Doing routine, definite, and organized work  

• Working with machines  

• Working outside  

You Should Be Able To:

• Understand and follow spoken instructions  

• Adjust to work that is repetitive  

• Work by yourself  

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

It is 1:00pm and you have until 4:30pm to finish your route. If there are 55 stops on the route and you have already made 34 stops, how many stops do you have to make before you should be done with your route?  

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

Chemicals, pesticides, paints and other items that may be left as refuse in order to determine what items can be collected and taken care of properly by you and for what items the customer should make other arrangements.  

For example, motor oil, tar, acrylic enamel, sodium hypochlorite, dimethylamine salt, dichlorophenoxyacetic acid.  

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

A memorandum to leave for a customer on your route explaining that you cannot collect the paint products they left because they are a hazardous waste and suggesting what actions should be taken to dispose of the paints properly.  

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

Organizational and detail oriented skills in sorting and collecting refuse and disposing of it properly.  

Experience in driving trucks or other motor vehicles may be necessary for employment as a Driver. Most employers require applicants to take a physical exam. Those applying for jobs as Drivers may also have to take written exams such as the test for the Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and/or road tests. Applicants for Driver positions must have a driver's license or a chauffeur's license and may be required to have a CDL endorsement on their license depending upon the weight of the vehicle, type of material hauled, and whether a trailer is pulled.  

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EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES   

NOTE: On-The-Job Training provided by the employer or a High School Diploma or Equivalent may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:  

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0600 BUSINESS , 0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this MOIScript  

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

There are no Postsecondary Programs related to this MOIScript  

  Search for a College and/or Instructional Program  

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript  

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***

There are no Military Programs related to this MOIScript  

E-Learning Courses and Programs

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OPPORTUNITIES FOR EX PERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Summer work involving cleaning and maintaining parks and recreation areas may be available through state and local governments.  

School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships  

mentorships  

job shadowing experiences  

touring a local Refuse Collector employer  

internships  

volunteer work with a Refuse Collector employer  

community service work with an agency  

Direct application to employers is the most common way to get a job as a Refuse Collector. Civil Service tests are usually required for jobs with government agencies. Written exams and driving tests may be required of applicants for driver positions. Local offices of Michigan Works! and newspaper want ads may help in finding openings. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:  

Michigan Talent Bank

Michigan Jobs & Career Portal

Classifieds Employment

Yahoo! Careers

MONSTER.COM  

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.  

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EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT    

Earnings of Refuse Collectors depend on the geographic area in which they work, employer, and union membership. Earnings tend to be higher in large cities and for union members.  

Nationally, median weekly earnings for Garbage Collectors were $419 or $10.48 per hour in 1998.  

Hourly earnings (1999) for Refuse Collectors in various Michigan cities were:  

Drivers are generally paid 5% to 10% more than other Refuse Collection Workers. Many Collectors receive yearly bonuses after working for the same employer for a number of years. Some Collectors and Drivers receive periodic cost-of-living allowances.  

Paid vacations and paid holidays are received by most Refuse Collectors. Health and hospitalization insurance are usually provided at little or no cost to workers. Other fringe benefits may include sick leave, paid life insurance, pension plans, work clothes or a work clothing allowance, and long-term disability insurance.  

Early advancement for Refuse Collectors usually consists of periodic pay increases. Beginning Refuse Collectors may eventually become Drivers.  

Seniority and experience are usually the most important factors in advancement. Those advancing to driving positions may be given training on new or unfamiliar equipment. A performance test is often given to find out if crew workers applying for driving jobs can operate the equipment they will be using.  

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EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK    

Nationally, 110,500 Refuse Collectors were employed in 1996. Employment of Refuse Collectors is expected to increase more slowly than the average of all occupations through the year 2006. The industry distribution for Refuse Collectors looked like this:  

Nationally, semi- and fully automatic refuse collection systems have reduced the need for personnel. Other reductions may come as the private sector becomes involved in recycling and recovery programs.  

Approximately 3,025 Refuse Collectors are employed in Michigan. They were employed throughout the state. The number employed varied with the size of the community. Most of them worked in urban areas.  

Employment of Refuse Collectors in Michigan is expected to decline through the year 2005. However, an average of 60 openings is expected each year, with all due to replacement of workers who retire, die, or leave the labor force for other reasons.  

Michigan has a solid waste disposal policy that was phased in during the last few years. Incentives are made to reward waste reduction and recycling. The private sector and state and local governments have worked cooperatively to move away from the dumping of garbage in landfills. Much of the recycling may be handled by the private sector. Because of the magnitude of the waste management problem, however, the employment of Refuse Collectors will continue to remain stable or decline slightly through the end of the decade.  

MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2005  

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION   

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.  

  MOISCRIPTS are Copyright 2003, Michigan Department of Career Development