Driver Doing On Road Observations

[soberups]

There is a fourth type of driver that does Intersection and On-Area Observations, an injured driver put on light duty and forced to "join" the Safety Committee to continue receiving a paycheck. I have been doing this the last two weeks, as I posted in another thread, I had hernia surgery today.

The intersection audits consist of writing car numbers, watching driver following distance, if they look left-right-left, count 1-2-3 at startup, leaving one car length, and in-cab distractions like cell phone use. I stood out in the open in plain sight and did mine. I gigged a supervisor who was driving a P-700 while training a new driver the other day who pulled out of the building with a rear door swinging wide open.

The On Area consists of blowing the horn to prevent dog bites, safely lifting and handling packages, safe driving skills like following distance, coming to complete stops, using 4-way flashers, making eye contact with pedestrians and other drivers at intersections, and using the horn at backs. I have to call the driver to find out where he is and drive a package car to the area to follow or ride around with him for 10-15 stops, there is nothing sneaky about it. They all score high since they know they are being watched. These audits are really pointless in my opinion, I just earned my full pay instead of going on workman's comp. $340 a day verses $105 a day workman's comp pay in my state is a no brainer. Putting the driver's name on the audit sheet is OPTIONAL.

Both of these audits are then entered into a Liberty Mutual website WITHOUT THE DRIVER'S NAME, they are just looking for numbers.

1. Sorry you got hurt, best wishes for a speedy recovery.

2. Sorry they are forcing you to be a brownie hound.

3. If they forced me to do that everybody I rode with or observed would score 100% and most of the time on car would be spent reading a paper, discussing sports, enjoying the scenery or otherwise going thru the motions.

 

[MethodsMan]

Thank you all for your discussion....we are trying to be proactive with our grievances but this driver uses the "harassment" card any chance she can. She keeps a journal of who said what to her if she feels offended. One driver has been accused verbally with no retribution but two other drivers have been brought up on formal charges. Currently our steward is her latest victim and fellows are reluctant to get more involved. It's ugly right now. Can a grievance with multiple signatures be submitted against her on the grounds of creating a hostile work environment?

Tell her to go fly a kite.

 

[Coldworld]

There is a fourth type of driver that does Intersection and On-Area Observations, an injured driver put on light duty and forced to "join" the Safety Committee to continue receiving a paycheck. I have been doing this the last two weeks, as I posted in another thread, I had hernia surgery today.

The intersection audits consist of writing car numbers, watching driver following distance, if they look left-right-left, count 1-2-3 at startup, leaving one car length, and in-cab distractions like cell phone use. I stood out in the open in plain sight and did mine. I gigged a supervisor who was driving a P-700 while training a new driver the other day who pulled out of the building with a rear door swinging wide open.

The On Area consists of blowing the horn to prevent dog bites, safely lifting and handling packages, safe driving skills like following distance, coming to complete stops, using 4-way flashers, making eye contact with pedestrians and other drivers at intersections, and using the horn at backs. I have to call the driver to find out where he is and drive a package car to the area to follow or ride around with him for 10-15 stops, there is nothing sneaky about it. They all score high since they know they are being watched. These audits are really pointless in my opinion, I just earned my full pay instead of going on workman's comp. $340 a day verses $105 a day workman's comp pay in my state is a no brainer. Putting the driver's name on the audit sheet is OPTIONAL.

Both of these audits are then entered into a Liberty Mutual website WITHOUT THE DRIVER'S NAME, they are just looking for numbers.

Scratch..sorry about the injury hope you are feeling better soon.....I have one question ....did the company give you a bad time about the hernia..saying was done off the clock or that you cant prove it was done at work..they have pulled that here with hernia and back injuries.

 

[scratch]

...I have one question ....did the company give you a bad time about the hernia..saying was done off the clock or that you cant prove it was done at work..they have pulled that here with hernia and back injuries.

This is my fourth one in 39 years with this company. The first and second one I thought were strains and I made the big mistake of not filling out an injury report so UPS denied Workman's Comp. The initial pains felt different from each other, A hernia is a rip in a muscle wall and it just hurts for a few moments. My right side ripped again six years ago, I got on the phone right away and filed the report that night, just like I did on June 6. No problem from UPS at all the last two times, in fact I got my first adjusted Workman's Comp check in the mail today. I'm thankful my center manager let me work TAW and get full pay until yesterday, you can only get that for 29 days. I can't drive anything for four weeks, and I may be out eight weeks total since this is a repeat injury for the third time in the same spot. I have a couple of vacation weeks scheduled during this time, hopefully it won't be too bad of a financial hit. I earned my 30 year pension on June 1, so I don't really have to go back.

 

[Coldworld]

This is my fourth one in 39 years with this company. The first and second one I thought were strains and I made the big mistake of not filling out an injury report so UPS denied Workman's Comp. The initial pains felt different from each other, A hernia is a rip in a muscle wall and it just hurts for a few moments. My right side ripped again six years ago, I got on the phone right away and filed the report that night, just like I did on June 6. No problem from UPS at all the last two times, in fact I got my first adjusted Workman's Comp check in the mail today. I'm thankful my center manager let me work TAW and get full pay until yesterday, you can only get that for 29 days. I can't drive anything for four weeks, and I may be out eight weeks total since this is a repeat injury for the third time in the same spot. I have a couple of vacation weeks scheduled during this time, hopefully it won't be too bad of a financial hit. I earned my 30 year pension on June 1, so I don't really have to go back.

So there is no truth to the old adage that once you get a hernia op you are better down there than before. .do you know what I'm saying

 

[scratch]

Yeap, no truth to that at all. They sew the muscle wall back together and re-enforce it with mesh, it can still rip again. The surgeon tried to fix mine using the laparoscopic method today, but I had too much damage so I was sliced open. Of course the injury was blamed on me for not using a handtruck to move an O/S 90 lb. box twenty feet to a front door I backed up to. I had a 10.4 hour dispatch that day after working two weeks of ten hour dispatches, I doubt that would have anything to do with it. And they are installing ORION in my Center right now to give us more stops to deliver "safely".

 

[Coldworld]

Yeap, no truth to that at all. They sew the muscle wall back together and re-enforce it with mesh, it can still rip again. The surgeon tried to fix mine using the laparoscopic method today, but I had too much damage so I was sliced open. Of course the injury was blamed on me for not using a handtruck to move an O/S 90 lb. box twenty feet to a front door I backed up to. I had a 10.4 hour dispatch that day after working two weeks of ten hour dispatches, I doubt that would have anything to do with it. And they are installing ORION in my Center right now to give us more stops to deliver "safely".

I'd say screw Em and retire.maybe you can go work for photog or whatever name he is calling himself these days..good luck

 

[10 point]

This is my fourth one in 39 years with this company. The first and second one I thought were strains and I made the big mistake of not filling out an injury report so UPS denied Workman's Comp. The initial pains felt different from each other, A hernia is a rip in a muscle wall and it just hurts for a few moments. My right side ripped again six years ago, I got on the phone right away and filed the report that night, just like I did on June 6. No problem from UPS at all the last two times, in fact I got my first adjusted Workman's Comp check in the mail today. I'm thankful my center manager let me work TAW and get full pay until yesterday, you can only get that for 29 days. I can't drive anything for four weeks, and I may be out eight weeks total since this is a repeat injury for the third time in the same spot. I have a couple of vacation weeks scheduled during this time, hopefully it won't be too bad of a financial hit. I earned my 30 year pension on June 1, so I don't really have to go back.

They recently extended TAW for a driver in my local for well over 29 days with the approval of the local BA of course.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

They recently extended TAW for a driver in my local for well over 29 days with the approval of the local BA of course.

Why would the BA have any say on this issue?

 

[10 point]

Why would the BA have any say on this issue?

Good question.

 

[10 point]

There is a fourth type of driver that does Intersection and On-Area Observations, an injured driver put on light duty and forced to "join" the Safety Committee to continue receiving a paycheck. I have been doing this the last two weeks, as I posted in another thread, I had hernia surgery today.

The intersection audits consist of writing car numbers, watching driver following distance, if they look left-right-left, count 1-2-3 at startup, leaving one car length, and in-cab distractions like cell phone use. I stood out in the open in plain sight and did mine. I gigged a supervisor who was driving a P-700 while training a new driver the other day who pulled out of the building with a rear door swinging wide open.

The On Area consists of blowing the horn to prevent dog bites, safely lifting and handling packages, safe driving skills like following distance, coming to complete stops, using 4-way flashers, making eye contact with pedestrians and other drivers at intersections, and using the horn at backs. I have to call the driver to find out where he is and drive a package car to the area to follow or ride around with him for 10-15 stops, there is nothing sneaky about it. They all score high since they know they are being watched. These audits are really pointless in my opinion, I just earned my full pay instead of going on workman's comp. $340 a day verses $105 a day workman's comp pay in my state is a no brainer. Putting the driver's name on the audit sheet is OPTIONAL.

Both of these audits are then entered into a Liberty Mutual website WITHOUT THE DRIVER'S NAME, they are just looking for numbers.

Putting the driver's name on that sheet is NOT an option.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I was on my way home last night and noticed one of our newer drivers delivering to a local convenience store. He was parked in a manner which could have easily caused him to be blocked in while making the delivery. He was also blocking the visual access of the gas pumps, which could have led to a drive-off. I pulled in and pointed out what I saw and gave him advice on how to deliver this stop in the future. He thanked me for stopping.

 

[toonertoo]

Yeap, no truth to that at all. They sew the muscle wall back together and re-enforce it with mesh, it can still rip again. The surgeon tried to fix mine using the laparoscopic method today, but I had too much damage so I was sliced open. Of course the injury was blamed on me for not using a handtruck to move an O/S 90 lb. box twenty feet to a front door I backed up to. I had a 10.4 hour dispatch that day after working two weeks of ten hour dispatches, I doubt that would have anything to do with it. And they are installing ORION in my Center right now to give us more stops to deliver "safely".

Oh Boy. Dont you worry My buddy, my pal. That Orion will make everything, peaches, and ice cream, unicorns and hummingbirds. You got your 30 ft? Stay on comp as long as necessary. Never go back.

 

[TooTechie]

In the 27 years that I have been with UPS, I have yet to see one tangible accomplishment on the part of our "safety committee".

I've seen lots of doughnuts and posters, and I've heard lots of acronyms and buzz words, but when it comes to actually fixing safety issues they are essentially worthless.

UPS corporate policy is that the "safety committees" will not discuss or make any changes to our equipment, facilities, policies or procedures. The committees exist for one purpose, and that is to comply with an OSHA mandate. It is not expected, nor is it desired, that they will ever actually accomplish anything because accomplishments cost the company money.

"Safety committees" are an adult version of the Student Governments we used to have back in junior high school, in charge of posters and proms and deciding when Funny Hat day will be, and I'm pretty sure that most members are trying to make up for the fact that they didn't get to be Student Body Presidents or hall monitors.

Except if we wear a funny hat we lose our job for being out of uniform.
P.S. When I worked inside I was on the last version of the safety committee where we actually got some things done. We had a decent manager at the time who cared and didn't make us observe each other.

There were a couple places in the building that when the flow got backed up packages rained on people's heads walking below. I got them to weld up sheet metal guards to stop that. Also there was a faulty pneumatic diverter that would literally almost take off someone's arm every night when it snapped shut at break-neck speed after not responding for 10 seconds. I got that replaced as well with a new functional one.

The center manager was eventually cycled out to another center then the new one didn't listen to us or come to the meetings so I quit.

 

[oldngray]

I was on my way home last night and noticed one of our newer drivers delivering to a local convenience store. He was parked in a manner which could have easily caused him to be blocked in while making the delivery. He was also blocking the visual access of the gas pumps, which could have led to a drive-off. I pulled in and pointed out what I saw and gave him advice on how to deliver this stop in the future. He thanked me for stopping.

You never block view of the pumps even though it means a longer walk and more time. Just part of doing the job correctly.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

You never block view of the pumps even though it means a longer walk and more time. Just part of doing the job correctly.

I have delivered this stop several times in the past and pointed out where he should have parked. The clerks get pissed when you block their view of the gas pumps.

 

[cachsux]

Why would the BA have any say on this issue?

Because 29 days is in the contract. An extension needs union approval.

 

[cachsux]

Oh Boy. Dont you worry My buddy, my pal. That Orion will make everything, peaches, and ice cream, unicorns and hummingbirds. You got your 30 ft? Stay on comp as long as necessary. Never go back.

If you come up to I-80 I'll run over your foot for you so you can ride it out till retirement.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Because 29 days is in the contract. An extension needs union approval.

We had a driver on TAW who collected his paycheck while sitting at home.


Resident know-it-all.

 

[10 point]

I was on my way home last night and noticed one of our newer drivers delivering to a local convenience store. He was parked in a manner which could have easily caused him to be blocked in while making the delivery. He was also blocking the visual access of the gas pumps, which could have led to a drive-off. I pulled in and pointed out what I saw and gave him advice on how to deliver this stop in the future. He thanked me for stopping.

One out of ten lepers returned to thank Jesus too.
Ten percent is about the norm...or less.