Injury

[UPSmeoff]

So i went and hurt my back.......damn.

Didn't want it to happen, thats for sure.

Got the x-rays done and all looks well spine wise. I strained the lower lumbar muscles and am now having terrible spasms that bring me to my knees when i walk.

Anyway.....

i'll heal in a week or so.

But what i want to know is why i have to be at work from 1 to 10 with a 1 hour lunch doing nothing for the first four hours and gassing trucks for the second 4 hours.

Oh and the kicker is i'm only getting paid 8.50 an hour. A huge difference from my top pay driver rate.

I am required to be there everyday until i am better, but how much longer is it going to take heal now.

I would think being at home with a muscle relaxer and ice pack would be a more conducive healing environment.

I would rather not work and make no money than stand around with my thumb up my ass for 8 hours for 8.50 an hour.

Is this what UPS has come to. Management thinking you are faking an injury. I know it has happened before, but dont treat me like a POS when a legitamate injury occurs.

I have been told that this new injured work policy is new in our district. They say they have to many lost time injuries.......Weeeelllllllllllll

DAMN right they have to many injurys. Managment is sending out routes with peak season like loads. What the do they expect.

Use your methods all you want, but nothing is going to keep you safe forever. Sh1t happens.

UPS is running off all the good guys and the replacements are going to be the ones who run this company into the ground.

Holding us drivers accountable by threat of termination whilst management can get away with anything that they want. It' BS and i'm ready to call them out on it.

This whole incident has brought me to the realization that once again, i am not a human, but simply a number, a tool, something that can be easily replaced.






That is all....thank you for your time.

 

[westsideworma]

So i went and hurt my back.......damn.

Didn't want it to happen, thats for sure.

Got the x-rays done and all looks well spine wise. I strained the lower lumbar muscles and am now having terrible spasms that bring me to my knees when i walk.

Anyway.....

i'll heal in a week or so.

But what i want to know is why i have to be at work from 1 to 10 with a 1 hour lunch doing nothing for the first four hours and gassing trucks for the second 4 hours.

Oh and the kicker is i'm only getting paid 8.50 an hour. A huge difference from my top pay driver rate.

I am required to be there everyday until i am better, but how much longer is it going to take heal now.

I would think being at home with a muscle relaxer and ice pack would be a more conducive healing environment.

I would rather not work and make no money than stand around with my thumb up my ass for 8 hours for 8.50 an hour.

Is this what UPS has come to. Management thinking you are faking an injury. I know it has happened before, but dont treat me like a POS when a legitamate injury occurs.

I have been told that this new injured work policy is new in our district. They say they have to many lost time injuries.......Weeeelllllllllllll

DAMN right they have to many injurys. Managment is sending out routes with peak season like loads. What the do they expect.

Use your methods all you want, but nothing is going to keep you safe forever. Sh1t happens.

UPS is running off all the good guys and the replacements are going to be the ones who run this company into the ground.

Holding us drivers accountable by threat of termination whilst management can get away with anything that they want. It' BS and i'm ready to call them out on it.

This whole incident has brought me to the realization that once again, i am not a human, but simply a number, a tool, something that can be easily replaced.






That is all....thank you for your time.

8.50 an hour? that can't be right. you need to talk to someone about that (not management, your steward or someone union). I thought you got paid what you would have been making had you stayed PT so if you have 5 years in you'd get what you'd be making 5 years in if you were still a PTimer. I am probably not entirely correct but its something along those lines. 1

 

[hitsomebody]

I don't know where they get the 8.50 an hour thing, I hurt my back last year, spent a month on light duty, got paid full driver rate. If they are forcing you to do some other job, you should be compensated at the highest rate for that job classification. The companys idea of light duty ended up putting me on the shelf for 3 months due to further aggravation of the injury. After trying to do light duty, I finally said enough, and had my doctor put me completely out of work. A company ordered MRI showed a very bad bulge in a disk in my low back. Spent the next two months going through some rather grueling work conditioning and physical therapy, the only bright spot was that my PT was such a cutie. Made the three hours a day rather tolerable. Anyway, don't let the "company line" of too many injuries initimidate you. In our line of work, these injuries are going to happen, whether you follow the methods or not. I'm ramblong here but the main cause of my injury was due to overdispatching for the most part. When my route was normal I'd go out with 110-130 stops a day, about 70% comm 30% res, about 250-275 pkgs, which was a 8.75 on paper. In the month leading up to my injury, i jumped to about 140 stops and almost 450 pkgs on the delivery side. I would have a top to bottom load of a 1000 cube 3/4 of the way full. Which by the way ended up being barely an 8 hr day. I would drop about 150 of those pkgs in the first 5 stops or so, then do the rest of my bulked out route. I will say that it was complete overwork on the part of the company that led to that injury. When I returned to duty, my route ended up being about 95 stops with 200 pkgs. I think even the company realized they can only push a person so far before they break.

 

[westsideworma]

I don't know where they get the 8.50 an hour thing, I hurt my back last year, spent a month on light duty, got paid full driver rate. If they are forcing you to do some other job, you should be compensated at the highest rate for that job classification. The companys idea of light duty ended up putting me on the shelf for 3 months due to further aggravation of the injury. After trying to do light duty, I finally said enough, and had my doctor put me completely out of work. A company ordered MRI showed a very bad bulge in a disk in my low back. Spent the next two months going through some rather grueling work conditioning and physical therapy, the only bright spot was that my PT was such a cutie. Made the three hours a day rather tolerable. Anyway, don't let the "company line" of too many injuries initimidate you. In our line of work, these injuries are going to happen, whether you follow the methods or not. I'm ramblong here but the main cause of my injury was due to overdispatching for the most part. When my route was normal I'd go out with 110-130 stops a day, about 70% comm 30% res, about 250-275 pkgs, which was a 8.75 on paper. In the month leading up to my injury, i jumped to about 140 stops and almost 450 pkgs on the delivery side. I would have a top to bottom load of a 1000 cube 3/4 of the way full. Which by the way ended up being barely an 8 hr day. I would drop about 150 of those pkgs in the first 5 stops or so, then do the rest of my bulked out route. I will say that it was complete overwork on the part of the company that led to that injury. When I returned to duty, my route ended up being about 95 stops with 200 pkgs. I think even the company realized they can only push a person so far before they break.

its just sad that it takes an injury for them to realize it....instead of using their brains and preventing such a thing from happening in the first place

 

[Browngurl1]

Good Morning. Not sure what state you are in but in TX UPS' insurance company makes up the difference in pay. TX law the insurance company goes back 13 weeks from the date of your injury and gets an average of what you pay is and that's the rate you are paid. Yes, UPS will pay you the regular salary of the inside job you are currently performing but the insurance company pays you the difference up to like 65% or something.
You do not want to be at home with an ice pack on your back. It will not get better that way; you need physical therapy and work conditioning that helps you get back into shape.
If you are really unhappy with the treatment you are receiving call your case manager (the insurance personnel who was assigned to your case and discuss your options; you should have been contacted by this person a couple of days after your injury was reported).
I hope you get better.

 

[Channahon]

its just sad that it takes an injury for them to realize it....instead of using their brains and preventing such a thing from happening in the first place

Westside - please elaborate - not sure what brains have to do with prevention such a thing to happen? Are you talking about the injury or the alternate temporary work being done?

 

[westsideworma]

Westside - please elaborate - not sure what brains have to do with prevention such a thing to happen? Are you talking about the injury or the alternate temporary work being done?

I was referring to when they bumped up hitsomebody's dispatch and it caused him to suffer an injury. I understand methods will help prevent that, but if you're being over worked....nothing is going to prevent an injury, its only a matter of time.

 

[wily_old_vet]

UPSmeoff-If you have not done so go to a orthopedic doctor OF YOUR CHOICE. You have the right to do so. When I first injured my back was told it was a "lumbar sprain". Turned out a piece of disk had ruptured off and was against a nerve. Didn't find this out until after I had worked for another 4 months including a peak. If I hadn't gotten surgery when I did I would have had a permanent condition called "drop foot" which basically would have meant having no control over my right foot. While I have no way of knowing if you've done any disk damage go to a doctor who isn't beholden to the company. If nothing else you should be getting physical therapy. As far as TAW I was paid $8.50 an hour and Liberty Mutual paid me the difference up to 50% of what I would've gotten had I been out totally. Also, if this is a more major injury, get a lawyer. Liberty Mutual has them on their side and so should you. Every states comp laws are different but you should receive a permanent disability rating if this is more than a "lumbar sprain". Good luck.

 

[UPSmeoff]

The physical therapist that i am seeing is actually a real stand up guy.

He really knows his stuff.

I have heard that you do not recieve the difference in pay until you have
been out more than 15 days and i will probably be back before then.

That is what is so frustrating, it might not be a major back injury, but it is an injury none the less. I feel that UPS just wants me to suck it up and work when in reality that is not the best course of action.

Just goes to show that if you don't look out for yourself, no one will.

 

[wily_old_vet]

The thing is that you are assuming it is a "minor" injury (and I hope for your sake it is) because the UPS doctor took a xray and said it was a sprain. Remember that every medical class has a bottom 50% and from some of the docs I ran into while taking DOT physicals a lot of those medical classes weren't in the USA. Think about it. Would a upper 50% doctor be working at one of these clinics? Don't think so. GO SEE A ORTHOPEDIC DOCTOR OF YOUR CHOICE. Comp pays for it.

 

[brownmonster]

You mean "talking" about safety every morning doesn't make the job safer?

 

[mrbill]

after so many days[ weekends included] 3- 5 days you will start getting paid comp
The second doctor visit is the doctor of record.YOU should have an MRI done to check a possible disk problem, xrays only view bone not disk.
Believe me I KNOW1

Each area may be different

 

[helenofcalifornia]

Get a doctor's note. (An orthopedic surgeon should be on speed dial if you have worked for any length of time for UPS) Your doctor should tell UPS that you cannot work in anyway for them. Don't let UPS bully you on this. If your back hurts, I can't imagine that gassing trucks for four hours is going to to any good for it. I hate when UPS does this to good employees.

 

[paganpink]

You can opt out of TAW if you want to stay home. Of course you won't be paid for it. Didn't you sign one of those "offer of TAW" forms? You can choose to not do it. You really should look at how you are lifting, though. Don't listen to the knuckleheads that say that methods don't help, using proper body mechanics is everything. I learned that by hurting my own back as well. I had never really thought about lifting even when I started and worked in the hub. But after really analyzing how I was lifting I realized how much I was stressing my back. Getting up really close to every box helped me alot and I do bend my knees more, not like deep knee bends, but more like using my legs as a spring as I lift upwards. I haven't had a problem since. Also, you should be paid your regular wage when you are on TAW. Call your safety manager if you're not.

 

[rocket88]

Here in Ohio,Central States, if the company offers you TAW you must accept it. UNLESS and this is very important!!!!! UNLESS your doctor's written orders prohibit the work. UPS tried to push me onto TAW when I was injured on the job. They called my doctor. My doctor called me and informed me that UPS had contacted him and we (the union and my attorney) put a stop to that immediately. The doctor then said fine he(meaning me--the injured employee) can do TAW. Here are his restrictions. After my center mgr. read them he called me and said forget it. Stay home. Not long after that I had to have reconstructive surgery.
When you are on TAW and you are a fulltime senority driver you do in fact get your regular fulltime driver rate of pay. you get 8 hrs.per day unless you agree to punch off and go home. Then you only get paid hours worked.
As an aside.... I am always amazed at what I read on various threads concerning injuries. Never go to a UPS athorized " Med Center" or UrgentCare Center. Never!! Go to the local hospital. Then IMMEDIATELY contact your own doctor. He can refer you to a competent Orthopedic physician. It is your right. It is also your duty to do right by yourself and get the best possible INDEPENDENT medical treatment available. It is you RIGHT under the law.

 

[UPSmeoff]

You really should look at how you are lifting, though. Don't listen to the knuckleheads that say that methods don't help, using proper body mechanics is everything.

I couldn't agree with you more. I try to fully utilize my methods, but as any driver will tell you that is just not feasably possible 100% of the time.

Say you use your methods 96% of the time, eventially that other 4% is going to catch up to you. It is just a matter of time.

I have a friend that settled with UPS after 5 back operations. He showed me his x-rays once and you clearly saw the 2 metal plates and 4 screws holding him together.

I think of that x-ray sometimes before i lift a package.

 

[wily_old_vet]

I couldn't agree with you more. I try to fully utilize my methods, but as any driver will tell you that is just not feasably possible 100% of the time.

Say you use your methods 96% of the time, eventially that other 4% is going to catch up to you. It is just a matter of time.

I have a friend that settled with UPS after 5 back operations. He showed me his x-rays once and you clearly saw the 2 metal plates and 4 screws holding him together.

I think of that x-ray sometimes before i lift a package.

But the question remains, have you seen YOUR OWN DOCTOR?

 

[UPSmeoff]

But the question remains, have you seen YOUR OWN DOCTOR?

No, not yet.

 

[toonertoo]

A long long time ago, I broke an ankle and my coccyx (that would be tailbone), in one fall. My orders from ER were, no sitting, standing, walking or lifting. They wanted me to stand at a check in counter and sort stuff. I said cya. I got paid, there was nothing in light duty I could do. That was my last injury. I work smart now. I use my handrail at every stop. And I dont run. Just look at the op reports. Ha!@!

 

[over9five]

"And I dont run. Just look at the op reports. Ha!@!"

Tooner, you rock!