NYC Sanitation Worker flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Curbside set-out deadline

The posted time by which material must be placed at the curb on the scheduled collection day; material set out later may be left uncollected and logged as a missed pickup.

Contaminated recycling load

A recyclable load spoiled by refuse, food waste, or plastic bags mixed in; it may be rejected and sent to disposal instead of being processed.

Packer blade hazard

The hydraulic blade inside the hopper that compacts refuse; it is the main crush hazard on a collection truck and no person may enter the hopper.

Rear-right blind spot

The area behind and to the right of a collection truck that the driver cannot see; workers must stay clear while the vehicle is moving or packing.

Emergency stop control

A clearly marked device that halts the packing cycle; the operator must know its location and use it whenever a person is near the hopper.

High-visibility vest requirement

Reflective outerwear worn while working on or near the roadway so that drivers can see the crew in traffic and at night.

Missed collection report

A record filed when a scheduled stop was not serviced; it captures the address, date, and reason so the route can be re-run.

Route sheet

The printed or digital list of stops in service order for a shift; crews follow it and mark each stop as completed.

Hazardous household waste

Items such as paint, solvents, batteries, and pesticides that cannot go in ordinary refuse and must go to a designated collection program.

Sharps disposal rule

Needles and lancets must be in a rigid, sealed container and routed to a special program; loose sharps endanger collection crews.

Bulk item pickup

Collection of large discarded objects such as furniture or appliances, usually requiring a separate appointment rather than regular curbside set-out.

Sanitation shift start

The assigned report time at the garage; arriving late can disqualify a probationary employee, and crews are dispatched promptly after roll call.

Roll call

The start-of-shift assembly where attendance is taken, assignments are read, and safety notices are delivered before trucks leave the garage.

Near-miss reporting

Documenting an incident that almost caused injury or damage; reporting it allows the crew and supervisor to correct the hazard before a real injury.

Personal protective equipment

Required gear such as gloves, safety boots, and eye protection worn during collection work to reduce injury from glass, sharp metal, and fluids.

Litter basket service

Emptying of public sidewalk receptacles on a fixed route; baskets are checked on a schedule and overflowing baskets are reported as complaints.

Sidewalk cleaning assignment

Manual or mechanical sweeping of assigned street segments; the worker is responsible for the block range listed on the route sheet.

Snow and ice duty

Emergency assignment to plowing, salting, or shoveling during winter storms; workers may be held over or called in outside normal hours.

Follow written instructions

A core tested skill: reading a short procedure and applying it in order, including exceptions and conditions stated in the text.

Reading comprehension item

A test question that gives a short passage and asks for a conclusion supported by it; the answer must come from the text, not outside knowledge.

Arithmetic on the exam

Basic computation such as counting stops, totaling weights, or figuring elapsed time; no calculator is allowed on most paper-and-pencil administrations.

Route order reasoning

Items that ask you to arrange addresses or stops in the order they would be serviced, using the sequence given in the instructions.

Map and grid reading

Using a simple street grid to locate an address or determine which direction to travel; tested as a practical reasoning skill.

Alphabetical filing

Arranging names or street names in letter order; a common clerical-reasoning item on civil-service written tests.

Comparing quantities

Deciding which of two lists or totals is larger; read each figure carefully because similar-looking numbers are used as distractors.

Elapsed time calculation

Subtracting a start time from an end time, including crossing the hour or noon; a frequent practical-math question type.

Safety rule priority

When instructions conflict, the safety rule controls; exam items often test whether you choose the safe action over the faster one.

Reporting to supervisor

Telling the person in charge about hazards, injuries, or equipment problems; the correct answer is usually to report rather than handle alone.

Customer courtesy standard

Treating residents politely, answering questions about schedules, and referring complaints to the proper channel instead of arguing at the curb.

Attendance and punctuality

Reliable arrival at the assigned time; probationary sanitation employees can be terminated for repeated lateness or unauthorized absence.

Chain of command

The order in which instructions pass, typically worker to foreman to supervisor; a worker raises problems to the immediate foreman first.

Exam answer sheet care

Marking answers fully and erasing stray marks; machine scoring rejects ambiguous or double-marked responses, so check the answer grid.