Introduction: Solid waste collection is a daily task all over the world with significant variation in itsrnamount and type. Waste is automatically regarded as the harbinger of disease and the bringer of illness.rnInadequate understanding of magnitude of the problem & poor financial resources, occupational riskrnbehaviors of waste collectors is major problems in most of developing countries. Ethiopia as one of therndeveloping countries, municipal solid waste is collected manually and lifting, carrying, pulling, pushing,rnand loading it is a common task.rnObjective: This study aimed at assessing health risk protection behaviors, knowledge, attitude andrnpractice among solid waste collectors in Addis Ababa city.rnMethod: A cross sectional survey complemented by qualitative key in-depth interview was carried outrnamong solid waste collectors working as home to home waste collectors under small scale enterprisernunions at Addis Ababa city administration. Sample populations were selected using multi stage samplingrntechnique. A total of 654 solid waste collectors and 2 woreda solid waste management heads and 3rnsupervisors were interviewed from February to March, 2015. Data was entered into a computer by usingrnEpi-Info version 3.5.1and analyzed using SPSS version 20 for windows. Frequencies, means, tables andrngraphs were used to present data. Logistic regression analysis was used in order to identify thernassociation between predictor variables and dependent variable and to control confounders. Thematicrnanalysis using open code soft ware was used for qualitative data analysis.rnResult: The response rate of this study was 98.2% and male respondent were 60.7%. The median age ofrnthe study subjects was 29 ranging from 18 to 68 years. Above half of SWC had low level of knowledgern(52%) in term of alertness, positive attitude (53.7%) about health risk protection and inappropriaternpractice (55.5%) on prevention of infections, injury and disability. Training on occupational health safetyrnwere associated significantly with both frequently hand wash and wearing PPE during duty (AOR=2.41;rn95% CI, 1.47-3.96 and AOR=1.77; 95% CI, 1.21-2.61) respectively. Lack of concern, addiction,rncarelessness, lack of PPE supply and nature of job were reasons mentioned for SWC health risk practice.rnConclusion and Recommendation: Health risk protection behavior among solid waste collectors inrnAddis Ababa city was inappropriate. Solid waste collectors should be packaged in health relatedrnprograms to enhance their health care information and health service utilization. Training SWC aboutrnsafety and provision of standardized PPE is highly recommended.