Management is out of Control!!!

[DoctorBrown1742]

So what do you do when Mangement pushes you so hard that safety becomes an issue? We don't have an onsite Shop Stewart. Management is always warned when the safety audit is going to take place. When we do have an audit, they slow down production to the "proper speed," once they leave they jam us with packages again. Today, ten minutes into today's shift, there were hundreds of boxes on the floor in front of me. There were so many, I could not walk. I literally had to climb a box mountain (over 5 feet) to get into my delivery trucks so load them properly while more packages were coming. Any ideas??? What should I do?

 

[Brownslave688]

Shut down the belt until the egress is cleared.

 

[DoctorBrown1742]

When I do turn off the belt, management comes over and asks why the belt is off. Then they override my lockout and walk away.

 

[Brownslave688]

When I do turn off the belt, management comes over and asks why the belt is off. Then they override my lockout and walk away.

Then stop it again. I used to love playing that game.

 

[Brownslave688]

If you really want to stick it to them call OSHA and complain about your unsafe working conditions.

 

[Wally]

I walk on everything. Love that crunching sound.

 

[MC4YOU2]

Are your coworkers supportive of having a shop steward? It takes a thick skin and above average courage, especially if your center is filled with yes men and women. Are you working with people who voluntarily risk their own well being and livelihood to jump as high as mgmt asks, regardless?

 

[silenze]

Don't stop the belt unless your safety is at risk. If that is your only exit from the truck then definitely stop it. Otherwise just let them pile up

 

[Jackburton]

Sounds like you're a driver, NM, thought you were talking about my truck every morning.

 

[tacken]

Climb the mountain.

 

[clean hairy]

When I do turn off the belt, management comes over and asks why the belt is off. Then they override my lockout and walk away.

You lock it out with a padlock?
The only person who is to unlock a belt which is locked out is the one who locked it out.

 

[dudebro]

You lock it out with a padlock?
The only person who is to unlock a belt which is locked out is the one who locked it out.

Only trained people can lock out a belt. Most loaders and drivers are not trained for conveyor lockout.

All he can do is conveyor securing, and that's for breaking a jam, moving a diverter, or walking on a belt. It doesn't sound like he's doing one of those when they start the belt.

 

[Babagounj]

If you really want to stick it to them call OSHA and complain about your unsafe working conditions.

Take pictures and send them to OSHA.

There was a time during some peaks that the only way off of the loading area was to climb up and over all the piles of parcels to reach the overhead walkways .
We did not just step on parcels , we had to use our full body weight crawling over them going up and then after break going down .

 

[MC4YOU2]

I believe he's likely referring to the lock button, not a padlock. Anyone can use the lock button.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I believe he's likely referring to the lock button, not a padlock. Anyone can use the lock button.

Hence the difference between conveyor securing and lockout.

BMW.

 

[DoctorBrown1742]

Yeah, I'm referring to the lock button.

 

[Jkloc420]

you have to have a clear path to walk. shut the belt off pick up the boxes. file a grievance if they make you do unsafe things.

 

[MC4YOU2]

Yeah, I'm referring to the lock button.

I got that the first time I read your post. That's what we always referred to it as as well. I never had mgmt ask us "hey, who is it that secured the conveyor?" It was invariably "Who locked out the belt?" It's technically two different things, but that's the way it's usually said.

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

This is Stuart.

Not Stewart.

 

[DoctorBrown1742]

So I load a 24 foot Ford F750 Box truck that goes to our local mall by address (two delivery trucks in one). Every day it's packed tight. I also load two other delivery trucks that hold 400 and 350 pieces. Today they tried to give me another delivery truck on top of what I already have. It was an extra 400 pieces. There's no way I can humanly keep up and that's where safety comes into play. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, I just want to know if anyone else has these same problems and how they handle them. The part that's really discouraging is the fact that others have trucks that have a 150 to 250 pieces and I have all the ridiculously full ones.

To be honest, I have no clue how the union works. I do remember about 4 months ago a union rep came in and saw my mess and made my boss work with me for the rest of the day. They lightened my workload for a week, then it was back to an insane amount again.

Is it me??