APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Review Safety Guidelines before completing the forms.
All forms must be completed and returned to participate in Litter Quitter cleanup projects.
Complete Participation Agreement and Youth Participation Agreement (if necessary).

Submit completed forms by email to welliott@hickorync.gov, or by mail to the following address:

City of Hickory Community Appearance Commission (CAC)
Attn: Wilson Elliott
PO Box 398
Hickory, NC 28603

SAFETY RULES AND GUIDELINES FOR PARTICIPANTS

All volunteers must:

• view the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Litter Sweep Volunteer Resource page prior to cleanup: https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/environmental/litter-management/Pages/litter-sweep-volunteers.aspx.
• wear an approved safety vest provided by the City of Hickory.
• park all vehicles clear of the roadway and on the same side of the street where volunteers are working.
• be 12 years of age to participate in a cleanup event.
• furnish adequate supervision by one or more adults 21 years of age or older for groups that have participants 12-17 years of age.
• pick up litter only during daytime hours.
• not pick up trash on the road surface and shall stay off the road at least 5-feet from the pavement edge.
• obey all safety rules and guidelines.
• conduct a safety meeting for all participants prior to each cleanup and go over Safety Rules and Guidelines for Volunteers and Safety Procedures for litter pickup.

For your safety:

• wear appropriate clothing such as: light-colored clothing that covers arms and legs, leather shoes or boots, gloves, and safety glasses.
• work in small groups to allow ample space for each participant to work safely.
• face oncoming traffic when picking up litter and look up often to ensure that no vehicle is encroaching your work area.
• be aware of loose material, tripping hazards, uneven ground, and other obstructions. do not pick up in ditches stay and clear of any construction.
• be aware of hidden obstructions that may have sharp edges and broken glass, especially in grassy areas.
• stop work in inclement weather.
• during warm weather months, drink plenty of fluids – take breaks – avoid overexertion.
• during cold weather months, dress warmly with layered clothing.
• be alert for snakes, stinging insects, and poisonous plants.
• avoid contact with noxious weeds and areas where herbicides were applied.
• do not remove hazardous substances or dead animals (notify your Adopt-A-Street Coordinator and tell him/her the location of the material or animal).
• carpool to the site to reduce number of vehicles and park in areas that provide a safe entrance and exit to the area
• use proper lifting and bending techniques.
• place tools in a safe position so that sharp points are not exposed.

Volunteers must not:

• use or possess illegal drugs or alcohol during a cleanup.
• pick up trash on bridges, on overpasses, or in tunnels.
• pick up trash on a median.
• pick up what appears to be hazardous material (notify local authorities or your Litter Quitter Coordinator if you encounter hazardous objects or holes, guy wires, and other hidden obstacles in the ground).
• attempt to squeeze bags to make room for more trash (injuries from broken or jagged objects can result from this practice).

In case of emergency:

• have an adequate first-aid kit immediately available.
• select an emergency room/hospital and know the route from the work area to the designated place of treatment facility.
• have transportation immediately available. 

For the safety of City of Hickory crews:

• group the bags together and where practical place them at least 8-feet from the side of the road to make the job of collecting bags easier and safer for our City of Hickory employees.