Heat in Trailers, I got an answer... sorta

Apollo

Member
So at my meeting last night, i brought up the question of heat in the trailers. Their answer was simply, "We go by the average yearly temperature."

So... i don't know if any of you live, or have lived, in Utah, but we're one of the most temperature-variant states in the USA. We'll have days where it's 95 one day, and 28 the next. Our average in Jan, is 36, and our average in July is 93. We have areas that get as hot as 118, and as cold as -65! So it seems kinda unfair to judge by "average yearly temperature." Especially when i brought up Chicago, who's MUCH cooler than we are on average. And about how, i've heard, they got air conditioning/fans. I realize it's a bigger hub, but still.

Also, they're REALLY defensive when you try to bring up the "death" subject. As soon as i started to mention that, they wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise. I just wanted to know about the "suicide" and the heat stroke death in Chicago. I thought the Chicago death would bring up a good point, but they seemed to get pretty damn mad.
 
Don`t know where you got your info but there`s no fans or a/c here. Unless you mean the ones in boxes that we are shipping through.
 

SmithBarney

Well-Known Member
The cold trailers I would unload in the winters of Colorado were a welcome
thing... it sure was nice to lean against the ice cold walls to cool off when the belt was
shut down for a jam..
 

tieguy

Banned
So at my meeting last night, i brought up the question of heat in the trailers. Their answer was simply, "We go by the average yearly temperature."

So... i don't know if any of you live, or have lived, in Utah, but we're one of the most temperature-variant states in the USA. We'll have days where it's 95 one day, and 28 the next. Our average in Jan, is 36, and our average in July is 93. We have areas that get as hot as 118, and as cold as -65! So it seems kinda unfair to judge by "average yearly temperature." Especially when i brought up Chicago, who's MUCH cooler than we are on average. And about how, i've heard, they got air conditioning/fans. I realize it's a bigger hub, but still.

Also, they're REALLY defensive when you try to bring up the "death" subject. As soon as i started to mention that, they wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise. I just wanted to know about the "suicide" and the heat stroke death in Chicago. I thought the Chicago death would bring up a good point, but they seemed to get pretty damn mad.

what death subject were you trying to bring up. what suicide in chicago. Why would you expect managment folks in Utah to know about suicide and heat stroke issues in chicago?

I'm not sure how to ask this question without offending but here goes anyway. Are you really that ignorant or are you deliberately trying to be disruptive in this meeting?
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
Also, they're REALLY defensive when you try to bring up the "death" subject. As soon as i started to mention that, they wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise. I just wanted to know about the "suicide" and the heat stroke death in Chicago. I thought the Chicago death would bring up a good point, but they seemed to get pretty damn mad.

They were probably getting mad because you were straying away from the corporate-approved Safety Committee topics.

You arent supposed to discuss changes to equipment, facilities, policies, methods or procedures at a Safety Committee meeting. Thats not what the Safety Committee is about.

If you dont want them to get mad then just sit there, be a good boy, eat your doughnut and think of new acronyms and commentaries for the employees to memorize. Play a few word games, hand out some stickers and color some posters. Dont rock the boat. You arent there to make changes or accomplish anything.
 

rod

Retired 22 years
They were probably getting mad because you were straying away from the corporate-approved Safety Committee topics.

You arent supposed to discuss changes to equipment, facilities, policies, methods or procedures at a Safety Committee meeting. Thats not what the Safety Committee is about.

If you dont want them to get mad then just sit there, be a good boy, eat your doughnut and think of new acronyms and commentaries for the employees to memorize. Play a few word games, hand out some stickers and color some posters. Dont rock the boat. You arent there to make changes or accomplish anything.

the truth can be painful at times- can't it:peaceful:
 

local804

Well-Known Member
They were probably getting mad because you were straying away from the corporate-approved Safety Committee topics.

You arent supposed to discuss changes to equipment, facilities, policies, methods or procedures at a Safety Committee meeting. Thats not what the Safety Committee is about.

If you dont want them to get mad then just sit there, be a good boy, eat your doughnut and think of new acronyms and commentaries for the employees to memorize. Play a few word games, hand out some stickers and color some posters. Dont rock the boat. You arent there to make changes or accomplish anything.


omg
I cant stop laughing
Dont forget no changes that are going to cost money
 
I was asked one time if I could do my part to help the safety committee. I replied that I would try and not run them over as I drove out of the building.
 

Apollo

Member
They were probably getting mad because you were straying away from the corporate-approved Safety Committee topics.

You arent supposed to discuss changes to equipment, facilities, policies, methods or procedures at a Safety Committee meeting. Thats not what the Safety Committee is about.

If you dont want them to get mad then just sit there, be a good boy, eat your doughnut and think of new acronyms and commentaries for the employees to memorize. Play a few word games, hand out some stickers and color some posters. Dont rock the boat. You arent there to make changes or accomplish anything.

It wasn't a safety meeting, those are weekly meeting that NO ONE goes to. Well, cerc sups do, but other than that, unless they're handing out free food, no one goes.

This meeting was a grievance meeting, about the hub and workplace in general. We were told to bring up questions about any problems we have with the hub, and I did. I told them every little thing that bothered me, and got most of my answers. This was the example from Chicago i was trying to bring up, that supposedly got UPS to put fans in some northern hubs. I didn't know if it is true or not, i just wanted the answer.


In Chicago a brand new employee (described as barely more than a "boy") serving his 30 day probation died of heat exhaustion while unloading a truck during one of Chicago's heat waves. He was required to meet the standard of unloading 2000 packages per hour in order to make probation. OSHA fined the company $5000.


 

dillweed

Well-Known Member
OK, that explains the death. Unfortunately, this young man must have worked at too fast a pace long after his body told him to slow down. There's much competition and testosterone at UPS. People ignore the signs of fatigue in order to prove themselves. Don't cave in to that BS.

Two thousand per hour is absurd. UPS pulls numbers out of their rears and says you must make them. They are often near impossible so just work at a safe, steady pace. Do try and follow the methods they teach you - many of those can be helpful.

The safety information they'll feed you doesn't quite jibe with the real life work they expect you to do. Learn to balance that while always making sure you're safe. If too warm, stop and take a sip of water or gatorade. Slow down if necessary.

In cold weather wear layers - t shirt plus a hoodie is good because you can peel it off when too warm. Yep, those trailers are cold but your constant activity will help keep you warm. Wear gloves year 'round.
 

tieguy

Banned
It wasn't a safety meeting, those are weekly meeting that NO ONE goes to. Well, cerc sups do, but other than that, unless they're handing out free food, no one goes.

This meeting was a grievance meeting, about the hub and workplace in general. We were told to bring up questions about any problems we have with the hub, and I did. I told them every little thing that bothered me, and got most of my answers. This was the example from Chicago i was trying to bring up, that supposedly got UPS to put fans in some northern hubs. I didn't know if it is true or not, i just wanted the answer.


In Chicago a brand new employee (described as barely more than a "boy") serving his 30 day probation died of heat exhaustion while unloading a truck during one of Chicago's heat waves. He was required to meet the standard of unloading 2000 packages per hour in order to make probation. OSHA fined the company $5000.

Cach has already said they don't have the fans. Cach is any part of this story true?
 

tieguy

Banned
It wasn't a safety meeting, those are weekly meeting that NO ONE goes to. Well, cerc sups do, but other than that, unless they're handing out free food, no one goes.

This meeting was a grievance meeting, about the hub and workplace in general. We were told to bring up questions about any problems we have with the hub, and I did. I told them every little thing that bothered me, and got most of my answers. This was the example from Chicago i was trying to bring up, that supposedly got UPS to put fans in some northern hubs. I didn't know if it is true or not, i just wanted the answer.


In Chicago a brand new employee (described as barely more than a "boy") serving his 30 day probation died of heat exhaustion while unloading a truck during one of Chicago's heat waves. He was required to meet the standard of unloading 2000 packages per hour in order to make probation. OSHA fined the company $5000.

Whats your source for this fantastic story? what was the fine for? If ups was deemed responsible then a death would have garned a much higher fine. Osha gives out 5 grand fines for having bubblegum stuck to the water fountain.
 
While I not going to say no one has never died of heat stroke this didn`t happen recently,at least at our building. The most recent one I remember was the pt who vapor locked on the unload and he was an older person. Tie is correct on the fine,they hit the Cach for 30k just for not handing out dust masks when some concrete work was done.
 
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