How do I check how a scrap yard trains staff on hazardous items?
Ask for the written procedure for hazardous items, the training sign-offs and any incident log. Then watch how workers sort and store such items at the yard. The best test is to ask a few staff what they would do with a damaged battery or a leaking container, without prompting.
Hazards in a scrap yard arrive mixed into loads. Ask what the yard does when a worker finds fuel, batteries, gas cylinders or unknown containers. There should be a clear place to set them, a person to call and a record of what happened. Ask to see where such items are held and how the area is labelled.
Next, check training. Ask who trains new workers, what they cover on the first day and how refreshers are handled. Look at the sign-off sheets and compare names with the staff you meet. Speak with a few workers on the floor and ask how they would respond to an unusual item.
Finally, ask about the past. Request incident reports, near-miss notes, any cleanup records and letters from inspectors. Ask your lawyer and an environmental professional to review what you find, because past problems on the site may become your responsibility. Check the handling equipment, too, since cranes and loaders affect safe sorting. Ask about contractors and temporary workers too. Visitors, truck drivers and short-term hires may handle loads without the same training as full-time staff. A yard with a clear sign-in and briefing routine is safer than one that relies on habit.
Key takeaways
- Ask for written procedures and training sign-offs, then compare to the floor.
- Quiz several workers on what they would do with an unusual item.
- Have a lawyer and environmental professional review past incidents and site history.
Related reading
13 pages on the same subject, grouped by topic.
Due diligence
- Expert answerHow do I review a lumber yard’s price swings and how staff manage stock risk?
- Expert answerHow do I check a recycling yard’s fire prevention and pile management practices?
- Expert answerWhat should I ask about a recycling yard’s scale calibration and weigh records?
- Expert answerHow do I check a scrap yard’s truck and roll-off bin fleet?
- Expert answerHow do I check a print-on-demand store’s refund rate for misprinted items?
Selling
Buying
- Expert answerHow do I check a demolition company’s records on hazardous material handling before buying?
- Expert answerHow do I assess a scrap yard’s loaders, shears and balers before buying?
- Expert answerHow do I check a scrap yard’s supplier base of contractors and walk-in sellers?
- Expert answerHow do I judge the safety culture at a scrap yard before buying?
- Expert answerHow do I check an eBay seller’s sourcing of used or resale items?
Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat are the steps to buying a business?
Deavo is an advertising and listings platform, not a brokerage, law firm or valuation firm. This page is general information, not legal, tax, accounting or valuation advice, and rules differ by province. Confirm anything you rely on with a qualified professional before you act on it.