Driving with ear buds

[olroadbeech]

Off-topic, but the whole "only one ear bud allowed in building" thing was just a power-play by the UPS gulag to assert its control over people. Has nothing to do with safety or communicating, which is kind of predictable.

that is not necessarily true. we feeder drivers are supposed to notify the loaders that we are hooking up to the trailer. one time the loader had two earbuds and I went into the building to let him know. He looked at me aand I assumed he heard what I told him.

I hooked up the trailer and he told a supe that I did not tell him. I was called into the office for that and disciplined. I did explain that he was wearing two earbuds. A couple months later they did change the policy on only allowing one earbud.

After that happened I would not hook up to a trailer when someone was in it. caught grief for that too. you can't win.

anyways one ear bud is a good safety rule.

 

[trickpony1]

Close the trailer door and put a padlock on it.

I've found that works......it also pisses people off.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

that is not necessarily true. we feeder drivers are supposed to notify the loaders that we are hooking up to the trailer. one time the loader had two earbuds and I went into the building to let him know. He looked at me aand I assumed he heard what I told him.

I hooked up the trailer and he told a supe that I did not tell him. I was called into the office for that and disciplined. I did explain that he was wearing two earbuds. A couple months later they did change the policy on only allowing one earbud.

After that happened I would not hook up to a trailer when someone was in it. caught grief for that too. you can't win.

anyways one ear bud is a good safety rule.

My view of my personal safety is much more important than yours, since these are my ears and not yours. I prefer to have my hearing if I live to be 60 or 70 years old. My grandmother did not, she was a "factory girl" when she was young and lost her hearing at 50. Could barely understand anyone by age 75.

Our feeder drivers typically do not tell loaders or unloaders when they are hooking up. I personally don't care because I am always prepared for them hooking up without my knowledge. New people, maybe not so much.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

One ear bud is a good safety rule.

Zero would be much safer.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

The most safe option is to have both ears protected at all times. Especially if you are driving one of those extremely noisy package cars, or work inside the building near loud equipment. Don't allow UPS to bully you into a lifetime of hearing loss or deafness.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

The most safe option is to have both ears protected at all times. Especially if you are driving one of those extremely noisy package cars, or work inside the building near loud equipment. Don't allow UPS to bully you into a lifetime of hearing loss or deafness.

There are very few, if any, package cars still on the road that would require the use of hearing protection.

 

[Whatbrownwontdoforyou]

My co-worker got fired on 8/25/16 because he had his ear buds in his ear while driving , on 8/24/16 they took a picture of him, on 8/25/16 they brought him into the office and asked his if he was on the phone, he said NO . so they fired him for dishonesty, Any advice? Thanks Now he has to go to panel

If he produces his phone records that shows he wasn't on the phone that would eliminate dishonesty......so I hope he is telling the truth

 

[barnyard]

Our feeder drivers typically do not tell loaders or unloaders when they are hooking up.

During my last safety ride, it was emphasized that I get out of the cab, let the loaders or unloaders know I am coupling and wait for them to acknowledge it. We have a customer PU that has had trailers pulled with loaders in them. Now they have pintle locks on all the trailers and we cannot couple until a supe seals the trailer and pulls the pintle lock.

 

[Orion inc.]

that is not necessarily true. we feeder drivers are supposed to notify the loaders that we are hooking up to the trailer. one time the loader had two earbuds and I went into the building to let him know. He looked at me aand I assumed he heard what I told him.

I hooked up the trailer and he told a supe that I did not tell him. I was called into the office for that and disciplined. I did explain that he was wearing two earbuds. A couple months later they did change the policy on only allowing one earbud.

After that happened I would not hook up to a trailer when someone was in it. caught grief for that too. you can't win.

anyways one ear bud is a good safety rule.

Every single thread on here and you magically have a story that you were personally involved in that relates.

That's amazing.



Amazing BS but amazing.

You should of been a science fiction writer.

 

[iowa boy]

There are very few, if any, package cars still on the road that would require the use of hearing protection.

Where I'm at, 50% of our fleet of PC's require some sort of hearing protection as this percentage is from the pre 2000 era of vintage package cars.

 

[olroadbeech]

The most safe option is to have both ears protected at all times. Especially if you are driving one of those extremely noisy package cars, or work inside the building near loud equipment. Don't allow UPS to bully you into a lifetime of hearing loss or deafness.

I agree with you.

there should be a compromise between hearing protection and safety. such as sound is muffled to prevent hearing damage but hearing is enough to prevent an accident and/or to stay safe..

say something was about to fall on a person or a forklift or package car was backing up in the building , you would want to hear it or hear someone yelling "watch out." this will probably have to be worked out thru the grievance procedure.

that was the kind of safety concern I was speaking about. I was fortunate that now that I have been retired for over a year now , the hearing in my left ear went back to normal . no permanent damage . I'm sure the earplugs made a difference.

 

[DumbTruckDriver]

I've driven almost every package car in our center, and I've never had an issue with noise.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

I agree with you.

there should be a compromise between hearing protection and safety. such as sound is muffled to prevent hearing damage but hearing is enough to prevent an accident and/or to stay safe..

say something was about to fall on a person or a forklift or package car was backing up in the building , you would want to hear it or hear someone yelling "watch out." this will probably have to be worked out thru the grievance procedure.

that was the kind of safety concern I was speaking about. I was fortunate that now that I have been retired for over a year now , the hearing in my left ear went back to normal . no permanent damage . I'm sure the earplugs made a difference.

I don't disagree at all. Most hearing protection only reduces noise by maybe, 10 or 20 decibals. Just enough so you are not exposed to the damaging levels, but you can still hear quite well. Earbuds without music playing, or a very low volume, is less effective but still blocks out ambient noise to a degree.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I have some minor hearing loss which is primarily due to my time on the flight line and not always wearing my hearing protection.

 

[trickpony1]

I have some minor hearing loss which is primarily due to my time on the flight line and not always wearing my hearing protection.

Is this because you were smarter than, and knew more, than your superiors who directed you to wear protection?

Let's not discuss that common sense would have dictated that you wear hearing protection also.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Is this because you were smarter than, and knew more, than your superiors who directed you to wear protection?

Let's not discuss that common sense would have dictated that you wear hearing protection also.

Nope. Young, dumb and a know it all.

I guess just one of those three has changed.

 

[trickpony1]

Am I/we actually seeing some humility from Dave?

 

[Billy Ray]

I have some minor hearing loss which is primarily due to my time on the flight line and not always wearing my hearing protection.

Must be very lax discipline in the AF.

 

[trickpony1]

Must be very lax discipline in the AF.

....or no one else wanted the job of fueling aircraft so they overlooked the obvious.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Must be very lax discipline in the AF.

On the flightline? Yup.