Waste Warriors: Challenges Encountered, Coping Mechanisms, and Suggestions for a Safer Working Environment of Garbage Collectors in La Trinidad, Benguet

Garbage collectors play a crucial yet often underappreciated role in public health and environment safety, facing physical, biological, and psychological challenges. Guided by the Job Demand-Resource (JD-R) and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) theories, this study examined the challenges, coping mechanisms, and suggestions for improving working conditions among garbage collectors in La Trinidad, Benguet. Using a qualitative descriptive design, convenience sampling, and semi-structured interviews, the research identified challenges like health issues, waste management problems, traffic congestion, and environmental hazards. Coping strategies included LGU support, community engagement, maintaining personal health, early starts, and adopting a relaxed attitude. Suggestions for improvement focused on better waste segregation, safety training, PPE provision, and nighttime staffing. The study emphasizes the need for both institutional support and personal resilience, recommending stricter segregation enforcement, enhanced public education, complete PPE, training for job order workers, and additional nighttime personnel to handle late disposals. These findings underscore the need for stronger policies and cooperation to protect the health, safety, and dignity of garbage collectors.