ON TOPIC:Mostly For Inside Guys:Cleaning Spills with Integrity

[Integrity]

For Discussion:

Recently while in a facility I noticed a pile of damp speedy dry in the middle of main thoroughfare.

It was left there for hours and it was walked through and driven through until it was pulverized and spread throughout a large section of the building.

Of the many individuals who walked and drove through this contamination at least 10 had to be management. Among the management was PT, FT and Manager level employees.

There were also many hourly employees who walked and drove right through it. Among the hourly employees were PT, FT, Shop Stewards, Designated Responders.

What should have or could have been done differently to adhere to UPS Safe Work Methods and training?

INYO: Any OSHA violations here?

Serious, "On Topic" replies only please.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

There were no cones or other markers put in place to warn others of the spill cleanup?

 

[Integrity]

There were no cones or other markers put in place to warn others of the spill cleanup?

There were not.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

The DR needs to be replaced.

 

[Integrity]

The DR needs to be replaced.

Possibly, what can you state as your grounds for replacement.

FYI Apparently this is common practice in this facility and locality.

FYI The DR happens to be one of the sorts Shop Steward.

More info is apparently the previous shift was the shift that created the condition and the shift in question, management and hourly did nothing and apparently never do when this same situation arises.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

For one, improper marking procedures.

For two, failure to complete the cleanup in a timely manner.

For three, allowing hourlies and management to walk through the spill area, distributing the material throughout a much larger area.

 

[Brisket]

Hmm, the person tasked with cleaning up the spill ( DR), should not have left the job half done, and not knowing what it is could be potentially hazardous to humans, pets (antifreeze) if they were to track it elsewhere.

The fact that other vehicles are driving through it and pulverizing the speedy dry and then it being spread throughout the building could potentially be hazardous if/when inhaled and cause any number of problems.


Sorry just realized
Dave said the same thing but you get the point.

 

[Integrity]

For one, improper marking procedures.

For two, failure to complete the cleanup in a timely manner.

For three, allowing hourlies and management to walk through the spill area, distributing the material throughout a much larger area.

I see your point but for the sake of this discussion let's seperate the shifts and discuss this from the perspective of the outgoing shift that apparently left the area in this condition and the incoming shift that found the area in this condition upon arrival to work.

There are definitely distinctions between how the situation should have been handled and who is responsible to see that situations such as this are handled with the utmost integrity.

 

[km3]

The outgoing shift was responsible, but that doesn't mean the next shift shouldn't have done anything. Different shifts screw each other over all the time...gotta get people off the clock, and such.

During peak, a bottle of soap broke open near where I was working and I couldn't avoid walking through it after it spread a little. A PT and a FT supervisor each called it in, and it remained there for 2 hours thereafter.

Finally, I slipped as I was climbing a ladder and hurt my knee. I didn't have to report an injury, thankfully, but I immediately texted my FT that I was done working until it was clear. Hazmat was there cleaning the spill up within 3 minutes of sending that text.

And in my experience, that's what it takes: If you want a hazmat situation resolved, refuse to work or walk in the affected area. If they don't have enough responders to get there in a timely manner, if that is their excuse, then maybe they should hire more responders.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I would have called the previous shift DR, PT and FT sup back in to address the spill.

 

[Integrity]

The outgoing shift was responsible, but that doesn't mean the next shift shouldn't have done anything. Different shifts screw each other over all the time...gotta get people off the clock, and such.

During peak, a bottle of soap broke open near where I was working and I couldn't avoid walking through it after it spread a little. A PT and a FT supervisor each called it in, and it remained there for 2 hours thereafter.

Finally, I slipped as I was climbing a ladder and hurt my knee. I didn't have to report an injury, thankfully, but I immediately texted my FT that I was done working until it was clear. Hazmat was there cleaning the spill up within 3 minutes of sending that text.

And in my experience, that's what it takes: If you want a hazmat situation resolved, refuse to work or walk in the affected area. If they don't have enough responders to get there in a timely manner, if that is their excuse, then maybe they should hire more responders.

Thanks for sharing your example. Most will not address an issue such as this because they don't want to get involved, hassled or whatever.

It is ultimately a management responsibility to see that these kinds of situations are handled in the correct way.

In the example for this discussion how should the management team have addressed this situation when they came scross it?

If the management team of the shift are doing their jobs per the methods then when should this situation have been found?

 

[Integrity]

I would have called the previous shift DR, PT and FT sup back in to address the spill.

You do mean if you were a management employee you would have handled it this way. Correct?

 

[km3]

I would have called the previous shift DR, PT and FT sup back in to address the spill.

I've seen FT sups on their way out forced to stay and clean up their employees' messes over lesser issues.

In the example for this discussion how should the management team have addressed this situation when they came scross it?

At the very least, they should have brought attention to the spill in such a way that people wouldn't have been walking or driving in it, and consequently tracking it through the building.

If the management team of the shift are doing their jobs per the methods then when should this situation have been found?

Whenever they saw it...or whenever an hourly employee reported it, whichever comes first.

But as I said, even if you bring something to the attention of management, in my experience it won't get resolved unless you take extreme measures like refusing to work until it's gone. Once production is jeopardized, it suddenly becomes a top priority.

 

[bbsam]

I am going to ask this as a serious non-snarky question.

At what point did you, Integrity, do something about the potential hazard other than post the question on an anonymous Internet forum?

 

[Matty_lawn]

Is @Integrity management?

 

[Brisket]

Is @Integrity management?

 

[Integrity]

I am going to ask this as a serious non-snarky question.

At what point did you, Integrity, do something about the potential hazard other than post the question on an anonymous Internet forum?

Good question. I choose not to discuss what I did or didn't do in the above situation.

Adding this information or leaving it out will not add to or take away from our discussion here.

The sole purpose of this thread is for discussion as to what should have or could have been done to adhere to UPS Safe Work Methods or training in the stated example.

It also asks for opinion as to whether OSHA violations may have existed in the example.

 

[Integrity]

Is @Integrity management?

No comment.

 

[bbsam]

Is @Integrity management?

Why does it matter?

 

[Matty_lawn]

Why does it matter?

Its a question staff member man