Seen a sup handling hazardous

[SnowCitizen]

Yeah I know it happens all the time. It happened in the unload, I am on the sort isle. I watched the sup walk it up the steps, into a door he had just opened that wasn't being unloaded yet. It was a 50% full drop-frame, I watched him walk it all the way up to the nose where the packages were and set it into the last wall. I knew immediately it was a leaker, and sure enough 5 minutes later the responder is in there looking around and I heard him yell to him exactly where it was.

I was in a bad mood to begin with, so I was furious to see this guy moving around this package. But like always, my decision was to do nothing because my instinct always tells me it is not worth the trouble and it isn't really any of my business.

So I guess just a couple questions, was I correct to just keep my mouth shut? And lastly, who would I even go to if I see this happen again?

It has been getting worse and worse for about the last two years, which has also been observed by others on here. Where I work it's to the point where the only way we shut the belt off is if a package is leaking all over the belt and there is no choice. If it is ORMD or hazardous with a wet spot but not dripping wet, the sups will handle anything to get it off the belt with no interruptions.

Well, just blowing off some steam, had a very stressful week. Have a nice weekend all!

 

[dillweed]

Unfortunately it does happen all the time. The handling is being done by those same people who cram safety down our throats each and every day.

Personally I wouldn't say a darned word to the sup unless he/she asked me to touch the pkg or stand near it (or what it leaked on) without knowing what it was. Protect yourself and let the rest do as they please.

You could mention it to the safety committee. It shouldnt' be hard to ask around and find out who's on it. Don't expect results but do what you can if you feel you should. Clear your mind and keep yourself safe.

 

[upsgrunt]

I guess I don't understand why they would carry a damaged package into a trailer that hadn't been unloaded yet. Were they doing it so that someone else would have to deal with it, or was it a test to see if the unloader would catch it.

 

[dilligaf]

Personally, I would have confronted the sup. 1st of all, unless a sup is doing an audit they DO NOT handle pkgs. 2nd, the sup was wrong to handle, much less put the 'leaker' back in the feeder. He endangered the contents of the feeder. The first thing that we are taught, stop the progress and do not handle a leaker. This applies to EVERYONE.

 

[FracusBrown]

Don't touch, leave the area, notify a supervisor. My recolection of the procedure is that how it's handled depends upon what it is. Many supervisors are trained responders in my part of the county. Apparently he had identified the material as he called it out. Lots of stuff is considered hazardous, but won't hurt you by just touching it or getting near it. Smoking or generating irritating fumes comes to mind.

I agree that we are horrible at following the procedures, but removing it from the immediate work area makes sense to me. Putting it in the back of a feeder doesn't make much sense though.

 

[SnowCitizen]

Were they doing it so that someone else would have to deal with it, or was it a test to see if the unloader would catch it.

I don't know where the package originated from, but it was not to test an unloader. After he put it in there he called it in and the responder came. He wanted it to appear the package originated from the trailer he placed it into. I believe the main purpose was so he could put it in the vacant door instead of having to move the unloaders around.

He endangered the contents of the feeder.

I agree.

Don't expect results but do what you can if you feel you should. Clear your mind and keep yourself safe.

Yeah, I figured even if I said something, it won't change a thing and it will just start conflict between me and the sups. I had a bad week and this was the first time I saw this trick, but in the end I can't stop it.


Thanks all!

 

[22.34life]

I have had many experiences with stuff like this, i used to work preload dmp for 3 yrs or so.I have had many disscusions with management about them handeling leaking packages,not because i care what they do but some coworkers of mine had a big problem with it and since i was dmp certified and knew people in p/e including the regional enviromental coradnater i was always put in the middle of it.So let me tell you what i was told from p/e and the r.e.c about supervisers handling leaking packages,if you read the procedures for dealing with a leaking package it says "dont touch, leave the area and NOTIFY A SUPERVISER.The sup then decides what to do with the leaker,your part is now over,you did what you were supposed to.Anything that is a non/non which means something that can be thrown in the trash after it has been solidified can be picked up by anybody,the only package that must be handled by the dmp person is a hazmat or something that is not under the non/non status.Allmost al leakers fall into the non/non group,so in the end managment will decide what leakers can or cant be handled.So basically i was told you "dont touch,leave the area,notify a superviser,and thats it your responsibility is now over.

 

[PE Pro]

Yeah I know it happens all the time. It happened in the unload, I am on the sort isle. I watched the sup walk it up the steps, into a door he had just opened that wasn't being unloaded yet. It was a 50% full drop-frame, I watched him walk it all the way up to the nose where the packages were and set it into the last wall. I knew immediately it was a leaker, and sure enough 5 minutes later the responder is in there looking around and I heard him yell to him exactly where it was.

I was in a bad mood to begin with, so I was furious to see this guy moving around this package. But like always, my decision was to do nothing because my instinct always tells me it is not worth the trouble and it isn't really any of my business.

So I guess just a couple questions, was I correct to just keep my mouth shut? And lastly, who would I even go to if I see this happen again?

It has been getting worse and worse for about the last two years, which has also been observed by others on here. Where I work it's to the point where the only way we shut the belt off is if a package is leaking all over the belt and there is no choice. If it is ORMD or hazardous with a wet spot but not dripping wet, the sups will handle anything to get it off the belt with no interruptions.

Well, just blowing off some steam, had a very stressful week. Have a nice weekend all!

Great post! Leave it right here on the BC. Not at your kitchen table or elseshere!

 

[JonFrum]

. . . including the regional enviromental coradnater. . .

It's about time UPS finally realized they needed a coradnater. For over a century of operation our coradnates have gone un-coradnatered.

It's about freakin' time. But I still say it's too little too late.