Question about HAZMAT Responder

FromBluetoBrown

Well-Known Member
This sort of goes along with the thread about getting called back on the clock. I am the only responder on the preload shift besides the preload sup. Now everyday I am the only one that responds to spills and everyday he(the preload sup) tells me that I have to stay behind after the trucks are loaded to process them all through the DMP. Normally I dont mind staying but my class schedule changed and for me to make it to class ontime I have to leave work at 830 to make it to class by 900, but he isn't trying to hear it. He wants me to stay behind and process EVERYTHING. Well the other day I got a little mouthy with him and said "Well aren't you a responder too? Why am I the only one doing this?" and I got some remark like "Well I am your sup and I told you to". Well I also did some research and if the package is non hazardous or just needs to be rewrapped due to some wine or laundry detergent leaking on it the damage clerk can take care of it well she is a b-word and refuses to do it. So I told tried to sneak out after the trucks were loaded yesterday and he called me on my cell phone and left a message for me saying that he needed this stuff processed and could I come back to work. Ive missed 3 classes already staying behind doing this stuff and he never wants to help out. We damage alot of stuff on our slide and one box will leak out and onto 5 or 6 other boxes, combine that with 3-4 leakers a day and by the time the sort is done and the trucks are gone I have 15-16 boxes that need to be cleaned up and rewrapped. I don't want to seem like a whiner but I have my own stuff to worry about and unless UPS wants to reimburse me my tuition for dropping that class and devoting my time solely for them I am not going to stick around past 830. So my question to you ladies and gents, What can I do? Can he force me to work and clean up wine, mustard, and general purpose cleaner? Or should I keep telling him to do it himself (which he never does, it gets left for me to take care on the next day). Thanks for you time in reading this!
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
Can you bid into a different job so you can leave on time to make class? That degree is more important if you can only take that class first period.
 

FromBluetoBrown

Well-Known Member
Well I wouldn't mind working the 12-4am but at midnight is when I close my second job and I cant work the local sort because my second job starts at 4pm.
 

Fnix

Well-Known Member
tell them you quit and when they ask why tell them because you need to make it to class. They'll adjust then.
 

LKLND3380

Well-Known Member
This sort of goes along with the thread about getting called back on the clock. I am the only responder on the preload shift besides the preload sup. Now everyday I am the only one that responds to spills and everyday he(the preload sup) tells me that I have to stay behind after the trucks are loaded to process them all through the DMP. Normally I dont mind staying but my class schedule changed and for me to make it to class ontime I have to leave work at 830 to make it to class by 900, but he isn't trying to hear it. He wants me to stay behind and process EVERYTHING. Well the other day I got a little mouthy with him and said "Well aren't you a responder too? Why am I the only one doing this?" and I got some remark like "Well I am your sup and I told you to". Well I also did some research and if the package is non hazardous or just needs to be rewrapped due to some wine or laundry detergent leaking on it the damage clerk can take care of it well she is a b-word and refuses to do it. So I told tried to sneak out after the trucks were loaded yesterday and he called me on my cell phone and left a message for me saying that he needed this stuff processed and could I come back to work. Ive missed 3 classes already staying behind doing this stuff and he never wants to help out. We damage alot of stuff on our slide and one box will leak out and onto 5 or 6 other boxes, combine that with 3-4 leakers a day and by the time the sort is done and the trucks are gone I have 15-16 boxes that need to be cleaned up and rewrapped. I don't want to seem like a whiner but I have my own stuff to worry about and unless UPS wants to reimburse me my tuition for dropping that class and devoting my time solely for them I am not going to stick around past 830. So my question to you ladies and gents, What can I do? Can he force me to work and clean up wine, mustard, and general purpose cleaner? Or should I keep telling him to do it himself (which he never does, it gets left for me to take care on the next day). Thanks for you time in reading this!

1. You should have a minimum of two hourly designated responders as well as two supes (one being RMP) per shift...

2. NON HAZARD materials are supposed to be processed by clerks... A clerk can file a grievence because you are taking work away from them. Plus you are not trained in Damages Processing, the screens are simillar but a few different steps...

3. Processing of HAZMATs is hourly work and is not to be done by a supe. You telling the supe to do it and sneaking off is failure to work as directed and job abandonment...

4. If the material is left unprocessed for you to do the next day you work that is a MAJOR VIOLATION. HAZMATS are to be processed IMMEDIATELY and not left to hang out until the end of shift. Processing of a HAZMAT should take about 45 minutes per item. Contact your District Safety person OR who ever does your certification and ask how long the HAZMAT is supposed to hang out in the DMP area... What if KETTAR or OSHA were to pop and there are spill trays sitting around with HAZMATs?
 

FromBluetoBrown

Well-Known Member
1. You should have a minimum of two hourly designated responders as well as two supes (one being RMP) per shift...

We have me and another lady whos local sort as hourly responders.


2. NON HAZARD materials are supposed to be processed by clerks... A clerk can file a grievence because you are taking work away from them. Plus you are not trained in Damages Processing, the screens are simillar but a few different steps...

I've put non hazmat items in a spill tray and put them in the ECS station for our damage clerk to take care of but she ends up putting them in my area and telling me its not her job to rewrap leaked on packages.

3. Processing of HAZMATs is hourly work and is not to be done by a supe. You telling the supe to do it and sneaking off is failure to work as directed and job abandonment...



4. If the material is left unprocessed for you to do the next day you work that is a MAJOR VIOLATION. HAZMATS are to be processed IMMEDIATELY and not left to hang out until the end of shift. Processing of a HAZMAT should take about 45 minutes per item. Contact your District Safety person OR who ever does your certification and ask how long the HAZMAT is supposed to hang out in the DMP area... What if KETTAR or OSHA were to pop and there are spill trays sitting around with HAZMATs?

Does that go for the box of vinegar thats sitting in the spill tray?
 

LKLND3380

Well-Known Member
We have me and another lady whos local sort as hourly responders.

Why do you get stuck doing the HAZMATS alone?

I've put non hazmat items in a spill tray and put them in the ECS station for our damage clerk to take care of but she ends up putting them in my area and telling me its not her job to rewrap leaked on packages.

If it is NON HAZARDOUS then a designated responder has no reason to be handling them... If they just need to be rewrapped or reboxed - ANY HOURLY on the sort can do it. They should be done before the end of the sort so the packages are not left in building...
 

Fnix

Well-Known Member
They tell us not to touch any leaking packages even if they are not labeled hazardous or smell. At the end of the day we have alot of rewraps even after the operation is shut down and everyone is gone. They have one combo job guy that does them.
 

FromBluetoBrown

Well-Known Member
Why do you get stuck doing the HAZMATS alone?

Because I am the only responder on the preload

If it is NON HAZARDOUS then a designated responder has no reason to be handling them... If they just need to be rewrapped or reboxed - ANY HOURLY on the sort can do it. They should be done before the end of the sort so the packages are not left in building...


Well our people aren't being trained that way. They get taught if they see a box that is wet (even if it gets some rain on it) to call me and when I try to tell the damage clerk to do it she gets an attitude and tells me its not her job so I get stuck after the trucks leave reboxing and rewrapping all this crap.
 

magoo57

Well-Known Member
Part of your problem is that your supe has a lack of testosterone-producing organs. Regular rewrap does not go to the hazmat responder area. What if the non-hazmat mixes with the hazmat? Then there is more hazmat material for the company to get rid of at a higher company cost.
It is not your job to tell this rewrap clerk to do her job- but I suggest that you tell the supe that he is committing a hazmat violation if the normal rewraps are placed in the hazmat area( scare him by mentioning Ketter). If he is still gutless about telling this other UPSer to do her job, then look him straight in the eye and say,"You know, my allergist doctor told me to contact him when my symptoms got any worse. I am certain that he would write that note saying that I can no longer be a hazmat responder."
Then watch him come around to the correct way of thinking.
 

FromBluetoBrown

Well-Known Member
Part of your problem is that your supe has a lack of testosterone-producing organs. Regular rewrap does not go to the hazmat responder area. What if the non-hazmat mixes with the hazmat? Then there is more hazmat material for the company to get rid of at a higher company cost.
It is not your job to tell this rewrap clerk to do her job- but I suggest that you tell the supe that he is committing a hazmat violation if the normal rewraps are placed in the hazmat area( scare him by mentioning Ketter). If he is still gutless about telling this other UPSer to do her job, then look him straight in the eye and say,"You know, my allergist doctor told me to contact him when my symptoms got any worse. I am certain that he would write that note saying that I can no longer be a hazmat responder."
Then watch him come around to the correct way of thinking.

Well the problem is not that he has lack of testosterone-producing organs, its the fact that he is an idiot and even though he is a responder he doesn't know anything even though myself and the other responder on local sort told him to tell the damage clerk she needs to do the non-hazmat stuff.
 

magoo57

Well-Known Member
Then you need to go up the chain of command. What this supe is doing is disregarding normal hazmat procedure. Explain that the way your supe is doing this is causing more hazmat cost. That should raise a red flag to the chain of command.
And personally, I would leave the non-hazmats at this other hourly's workstation and refuse to do them. Force a write-up and then see . Mt guess as another supe isthat he will back down.
 

FromBluetoBrown

Well-Known Member
This is some good gouge, I appreciate it guys. Is all this written somewhere? I think if I am going to be peeing in the damage clerks corn flakes I would like to have something to back me up that I can wave in front of her, the sups, and the center manager's face.
 

magoo57

Well-Known Member
Blue/Brown, this should be in the manual or in the checkoff list for the keter audits. I have a good buddy that is the head of this hub's hazmat organization. I will have an answer within 24-48 hours. Hang tight
 

LKLND3380

Well-Known Member
This is some good gouge, I appreciate it guys. Is all this written somewhere? I think if I am going to be peeing in the damage clerks corn flakes I would like to have something to back me up that I can wave in front of her, the sups, and the center manager's face.

Simple question to the supe and center manager...
1) Who processes damages and re wraps them if it is a box of paper?
2) Who prosesses damages and re wraps them if they are NON HAZARDOUS baby food, Zphyrhills water, grape jelly, Monavie, Tahitian Noni, Xango, etc.

Then ask is they have a copy of the Damage Clerks job description because if the supe CAN NOT take work away from the Damage Clerk and give to the Designated Responder... The Clerk can grieve it and get all that back pay... If the clerk decides not to grieve then ANYONE can file the grievence... Then throw in... If the Damage Clerk is not fulfilling the job description, that is JOB ABANDONMENT and no different than walking off in the middle of a shift...

This will piss off everyone involved and I know you have classes but we are getting close to the end of the school year. You should be able to rack in the overtime by processing this additional work. You should be getting an additional 2:00 to 4:00 each day after the sort... With peak just around the corner, processing damages on top of regular work should get you 7 to 10 hours each day...
 

livinitup

Active Member
I have been a responder for 6 years. I am in the same position as you... All the other responders are out on injury. So, I have to stick around and clean up the mess. I would much rather be out delivering getting lots of overtime, but this is what I understand about being a designated responder.

If your primary job function is loading truck then after 6 months of being a responder you can elect to discontinue being a designated responder. If it hasn't been 6 months ask your manager to put the position up for bid.

They are supposed to have more than one responder per shift.

It is my understanding that if it leaks then a responder must process it.

The fact that it isn't hazardous only means you can direct the supervisor or any other employee to clean up the spill, but you must still dispose of it following proper procedures. This is so if there is more than one spill you are focusing on the more dangerous spill, but that the other ones still get cleaned up.

It is your job to clean up the spill and dispose of the damaged items either through the DMP or By the Non-regulated book procedures and do the report. However, you can give the packages that need to be rewrapped to the clerk. Usually, the rewrap process is what can be time consuming, especially if its a box of wine or Monavie.

I have been told by the Hazmat training coordinator that we should process the damages that can be rewrapped during the sort. This is to make service on the package. If it is liquid and is damaged it will have to be returned to the shipper so I usually process them at the end of the shift.

If you continue to have problems with your supervisor go directly to you sort manager and explain your issues. Generally the are more understanding and are more concerned with customer service than the part-time supervisors.
 
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