Trash Companies Check Trucks for Safety
Ventura County’s two largest garbage collection companies said they have reviewed the safety of their refuse trucks in the wake of Wednesday’s accident in Los Angeles when a malfunctioning city trash truck killed two 8-year-old boys.
“As soon as we heard about that [accident] we didn’t let any of our trucks run the following morning until we inspected them,” said Mike Smith, chief executive officer of G.I. Industries.
The company operates 80 trucks serving Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark and some unincorporated areas of eastern Ventura County. Of those, 65 have some sort of garbage packing mechanism, 35 with the scissor-type design that malfunctioned in Los Angles.
E.J. Harrison & Sons Inc., the west county’s largest garbage collection company, is similarly checking the 30 scissor-type packing trucks in its 120-vehicle fleet, spokeswoman Nan Drake said. The inspection is expected to be completed this weekend.
Both companies say the safety checks are in addition to regular maintenance schedules.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
