I've been working at UPS for like 2 months as an unloader but today I got moved to loading. They started me off at 3 trucks and we had about 9,500 pieces on the day. By the end of the day I felt completely demoralized... the sups had to help me a few times to clear stacked packages. Not sure if this is normal for people just starting or if I
am uncommonly poor at this.
Anyways, what are some useful tips/practices you guys have picked up to make yourselves more efficient? Also, how much were you guys loading when you first started? Any and all advice is appreciated.
Cheers
Learn your 5's and 8's if you haven't done so yet and finish DOK.
If you've got that done then learn the methods.
Work at a brisk, safe pace.
If you meet your drivers, ask them what the last loader did right and wrong, and ask them how you can improve your load.
I know I'd have at least 16 drivers upset if I was gone. I moved up a belt and unfortunately drivers can't really request a loader. But I know if I see Tom, John, Eric etc whoever whoever, a look of "thank god" washes over their faces.
When drivers speak well of you, supervisors will back off, but do understand they want you to get better.
Ask your immediate sup for "belt to car methods" and ask if they can demonstrate for you or work with you to improve your load quality.
200 pph is ideal. 150 isn't abnormal..
I guess my only other advice would be keeping your load reports. Those are *your* cars. If other people so much as touch a package for that car you shouldn't be held accountable for misloads.. but keep that in the back of your head for when you make book.. let them think you drank the kool-aid, don't be a bum, and help your drivers and neighbors. Really all there is to it.
Arriving 10 to 15 early to scan send agains, look at load sheets and get a general idea of your bulk. Some drivers want the car by HIN. Some want all bulk in back. Some want it by HIN. Others don't care.
And if you're gonna throw bags or envelopes behind boxes, do it with the label facing forward. A HIN couldn't hurt. If there are a lot in a series drop them off the lip so they don't go flying all willy nilly.
Never load 40 lbs or higher on a shelf. If it's 39 you're good to go. Make sure to use the box as a fulcrum, that is, let it touch the lip then push it forward and up. No sense using end range shoulder motions and deadlifting and dropping it. Use existing facilities to assist in lifting and lowering. Let the belt do the work. Don't walk it and hurt your rotator cuff trying to push 70 pounds of boxes up or down the belt. Always use a box as a marker. Like crushed Amazon box with new tape is where I last left off; that will save you tons of time rereading the HINs. If you get flybys, maybe rereading them all for awhile might help but it'll slow you down.
If your misloads are up there, and you have cars Alpha Bravo Charlie, then write A4654, B5570, C2232. See it say it write it load it.