SAFETY GUIDELINES

All Litter Pickup volunteers are to review these guidelines. It is recommended to review them prior to each pickup.

Be Safe! Be Kind! Have Fun!

Thank you for volunteering to keep North Bay a Clean Green & Beautiful city! Your contribution, well-being, and enjoyment are very important to us. Please read these safety guidelines and share with fellow volunteers.

Be Safe!
• Work with a partner when possible– safer and more fun too!
• Involve the kids and be sure they’re safe and supervised.
• Wear appropriate footwear, clothing, sunscreen, and eye protection, mask (when necessary).
• Wear gloves or some form of hand protection. If you have them, use Grip n’Grab pickup sticks.
• Always sweep, rake or shovel glass. Safety first.
• For Emergencies, call 911.
• If you find sharps in the community, inform your team leader. If team leader can pick the sharps up safely, please follow these instructions:
• Do not walk while holding the sharp object.
• Bring a puncture-proof, hard-sided, leak-proof container with a lid, such as a pickle jar or bleach container, to the location of the
cleanup. Do not recap, bend, break the needle or manipulate it by
hand in any way.
• Place the object in the container. Use tongs if available. If tongs are not available pick up the needle/sharp from the blunt end and
secure the lid.
• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.
• Label the container “hazardous waste” and bring to the Health Unit for proper disposal.

Working near Streets, Roads & Curbs
• Stay off the street or roadway when possible.
• When working in or around a storm sewer grate work from the sidewalk side – not from the street.
• If cleaning up along a busy street near traffic, wear a bright reflective work vest or bright-colored clothing.
• Cross streets at signals or crosswalks, not mid-block.
• Feel free to pull weeds from the sidewalk cracks, boulevards and curbs, but safely from the side-walk side.

Working near Waterways
• Stick to the shoreline – don’t go into the water. (If you find large items in creeks or streams, do not remove, contact the North Bay - Mattawa
Conservation Authority at 705 474-5420 nbmca@nbmca.ca)
• Watch your footing on slopes and shorelines.
• Never allow children to work on steep slopes or near shorelines without adult supervision.
• Always work with a partner near water – water is still cold so be careful! It’s ok to wear a lifejacket while working near water!
• Don’t touch unfamiliar plants. Some plants are invasive and spread
easily. Some are toxic. If you don’t know, don’t touch. Bathe and wash
clothes after potential contact.

Disposing of Debris Safely
• Separate collected materials into recycling and garbage, if you can.
• Dispose of recycling in your residential blue box.
• Dispose of small amounts of trash in your CGB Bags.
• Place your CGB Bag at your curbside. Miller Waste will pick up these bags April to November. (These bags aren’t included in your household bag limit)

Encampments

If you come across an encampment, DO NOT ENTER! Please report it to the City of North Bay:

Email:Ron.Melnyk@northbay.ca

Phone: (705) 474-0400 ext. 2512

Email: brent.kalinowski@northbay.ca

Phone: (705) 474-0400 ext. 2316

The City of North Bay will then investigate the area. If it is public property, they will clean it themselves when they are able to do so. If it is private property, the City of North Bay will contact the owner of the property and take necessary measures from there. We ask that you please be patient, as this process may take some time.

Sharps and Other Dangerous Litter

If you come across sharps, needles, or objects you are uncomfortable picking up, report it to your team leader and/or leave it. If you do choose to pick up sharps or other dangerous litter, please review the Safe Sharps handling here: Sharps - North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit and ensure your litter pickup team is following all of the proper precautions.

Be Kind!
• Always be courteous and respectful to your fellow stewards.
• Cleaning up on City property or right of ways, all volunteers are expected to conduct themselves in a safe, courteous, and legal manner.
• Please don’t trespass on private property.

Have Fun!
• Engage your neighbours, friends and local corner store or business to keep their property tidy.
• Challenge your co-workers! Plan an employee wellness clean-up day at work.
• The website is: www.cleangreenbeautiful.com
• Post your before and after photos of your clean-up! Tag us @cleangreenbeautifulnb
• Tell a story of the people and the space you’re cleaning up!

Find a large litter item? Please fill out the following form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScc_CS38L3f3FIo3aFHNbBZeg-xmuz0HCD-wzquNy3CEawbfw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Find a shopping cart? Please contact J&J Scrap Metal: (705) 358- 5245.

MIIGWETCH, MERCI, THANK YOU!
Together let's do our part!