Responders across the country

Phraust

Member
This is gonna be a long one so bear with me please! So without giving away to many personal details(I'll fail at this) I'm a 'well vested' former responder, current steward and on again off again CHSP committee member on the preload of a mid sized center in the NW region. I've been a Responder before and was unfortunately stuck with an RMP who knew less about the job then a new hire that had just finished basic hazmat handling certification(Don't touch, Leave Area, Notify Sup). The district/division Responder manager was someone new what felt like every week and if I had questions/concerns most of the time it came down to leaving hand written notes for the much more senior responder on the local sort and hoping the notes weren't lost between shifts as I couldn't contact anyone outside the building and the RMP's usual response was 'Well just do what you think is right', as if I'd bother asking if I had that sort of opinion. When my yearly re-up came I simply stated I wasn't interested and they had no issue with that(though I know the language states to submit a letter).

Anyway that's in the not so distant past and now I'm faced with the predicament that 1 of the 2 responders we do have is about to leave the company(weeks at most), the other is a former driver who went 22.3(FT) and is only a responder as it was part of the job he bid into and is talking about retiring before peak hits. I have a long history of filing grievances on any sup performing that role and am frankly tired of butting heads with the labor manager on how it's not his fault and how the company shouldn't have to pay out on the grievances because they can't find people to fill the job(I always argue the company should have taken the hazard pay negotiation more seriously though I also know part of that's on the International for not putting any weight behind it when the west expected such, at least as my business agent explained it) but I can't say I don't see his point as I play around with the idea of applying to be a responder again.

So FINALLY here's my question, to any of you that are/were or are close with those that are/were responders, what were your biggest challenges in getting the company to respect THEIR rules(and the rules set by the EPA and other agencies) and how did you get them to comply? During my year as a responder I probably did more 'paperwork' via grievances(both local union and state level, never went so far as to contact the EPA but I probably should have) then I did for my actual responder duties as I had a manager that instructed me NOT to bother with basic PPE, to use whatever tub and garbage bag I could find instead of 'wasting time getting a spill tub' and 'just tub em for now and process em later', not to mention the near constant discovery of improperly contained leakers that were just left laying around the DMP or 'quasi DMP'(several of which were the sort of things you DON'T want leaking all over, bleach, peroxide, alcohol, etc) which neither I or the other responder placed there leaving me unable yet still 'required' to describe when and where it was discovered(and to be told by management and security that 'discovery in the DMP isn't a proper answer', my business agent had fun with that one...).
 

Integrity

Binge Poster
This is gonna be a long one so bear with me please! So without giving away to many personal details(I'll fail at this) I'm a 'well vested' former responder, current steward and on again off again CHSP committee member on the preload of a mid sized center in the NW region. I've been a Responder before and was unfortunately stuck with an RMP who knew less about the job then a new hire that had just finished basic hazmat handling certification(Don't touch, Leave Area, Notify Sup). The district/division Responder manager was someone new what felt like every week and if I had questions/concerns most of the time it came down to leaving hand written notes for the much more senior responder on the local sort and hoping the notes weren't lost between shifts as I couldn't contact anyone outside the building and the RMP's usual response was 'Well just do what you think is right', as if I'd bother asking if I had that sort of opinion. When my yearly re-up came I simply stated I wasn't interested and they had no issue with that(though I know the language states to submit a letter).

Anyway that's in the not so distant past and now I'm faced with the predicament that 1 of the 2 responders we do have is about to leave the company(weeks at most), the other is a former driver who went 22.3(FT) and is only a responder as it was part of the job he bid into and is talking about retiring before peak hits. I have a long history of filing grievances on any sup performing that role and am frankly tired of butting heads with the labor manager on how it's not his fault and how the company shouldn't have to pay out on the grievances because they can't find people to fill the job(I always argue the company should have taken the hazard pay negotiation more seriously though I also know part of that's on the International for not putting any weight behind it when the west expected such, at least as my business agent explained it) but I can't say I don't see his point as I play around with the idea of applying to be a responder again.

So FINALLY here's my question, to any of you that are/were or are close with those that are/were responders, what were your biggest challenges in getting the company to respect THEIR rules(and the rules set by the EPA and other agencies) and how did you get them to comply? During my year as a responder I probably did more 'paperwork' via grievances(both local union and state level, never went so far as to contact the EPA but I probably should have) then I did for my actual responder duties as I had a manager that instructed me NOT to bother with basic PPE, to use whatever tub and garbage bag I could find instead of 'wasting time getting a spill tub' and 'just tub em for now and process em later', not to mention the near constant discovery of improperly contained leakers that were just left laying around the DMP or 'quasi DMP'(several of which were the sort of things you DON'T want leaking all over, bleach, peroxide, alcohol, etc) which neither I or the other responder placed there leaving me unable yet still 'required' to describe when and where it was discovered(and to be told by management and security that 'discovery in the DMP isn't a proper answer', my business agent had fun with that one...).
You have a responsibility to do the jobs trained, period.

Responders in my area are poor workers who really don’t want to do this. Heck they don’t even really want to clean up spills.

From my observation you will need to take all necessary steps, in the right order to fight this .

Safety Committee, Grievance, Internal Reporting (UPS Help Line) and then outside agency (OSHA).
 

Integrity

Binge Poster
@Phraust ,

How do you handle following:

A 4’diameter clear liquid is left on the floor from a previous shift there no way of knowing what this substance is.


What are you steps?
 

J.D. Hogg

Well-Known Member
How do you get UPS to follow their own rules?

:rofl:

You are in the very exclusive group of employees who care about performing their jobs safely & correctly, and I applaud you for efforts.

Unfortunately, most management people don't really care if the proper or safe rules/regulations/procedures are actually followed; they only care if it appears as if they were -- no matter what dangerous shortcuts were taken.
 

Integrity

Binge Poster
How do you get UPS to follow their own rules?

:rofl:

You are in the very exclusive group of employees who care about performing their jobs safely & correctly, and I applaud you for efforts.

Unfortunately, most management people don't really care if the proper or safe rules/regulations/procedures are actually followed; they only care if it appears as if they were -- no matter what dangerous shortcuts were taken.
1. Safety Committee
2. Grievance
3. UPS Help Line
4. Letter to Corporate.
5. OSHA and any other necessary outside agency.
 

NAHimGOOD

Nothing to see here.... Move along.
You said former responder...

So are you gaining information to make it safer for your replacements..

Or...

Are you planning on going back...

Or...

Is this for your committee position...

Apologies if that was addressed but it's a long read
 

DriverNerd

Well-Known Member
Our DMP is run pretty close to 'by the book' because we have audits all the time. If your runs like you say, they're obviously not getting checked on my anyone outside the company, so there's really no way they'll change.
 

BSWALKS

Fugitive From Reality
51F9NABJI1L._AC_SY780_.jpg
 

UPSER1987

Well-Known Member
This is gonna be a long one so bear with me please! So without giving away to many personal details(I'll fail at this) I'm a 'well vested' former responder, current steward and on again off again CHSP committee member on the preload of a mid sized center in the NW region. I've been a Responder before and was unfortunately stuck with an RMP who knew less about the job then a new hire that had just finished basic hazmat handling certification(Don't touch, Leave Area, Notify Sup). The district/division Responder manager was someone new what felt like every week and if I had questions/concerns most of the time it came down to leaving hand written notes for the much more senior responder on the local sort and hoping the notes weren't lost between shifts as I couldn't contact anyone outside the building and the RMP's usual response was 'Well just do what you think is right', as if I'd bother asking if I had that sort of opinion. When my yearly re-up came I simply stated I wasn't interested and they had no issue with that(though I know the language states to submit a letter).

Anyway that's in the not so distant past and now I'm faced with the predicament that 1 of the 2 responders we do have is about to leave the company(weeks at most), the other is a former driver who went 22.3(FT) and is only a responder as it was part of the job he bid into and is talking about retiring before peak hits. I have a long history of filing grievances on any sup performing that role and am frankly tired of butting heads with the labor manager on how it's not his fault and how the company shouldn't have to pay out on the grievances because they can't find people to fill the job(I always argue the company should have taken the hazard pay negotiation more seriously though I also know part of that's on the International for not putting any weight behind it when the west expected such, at least as my business agent explained it) but I can't say I don't see his point as I play around with the idea of applying to be a responder again.

So FINALLY here's my question, to any of you that are/were or are close with those that are/were responders, what were your biggest challenges in getting the company to respect THEIR rules(and the rules set by the EPA and other agencies) and how did you get them to comply? During my year as a responder I probably did more 'paperwork' via grievances(both local union and state level, never went so far as to contact the EPA but I probably should have) then I did for my actual responder duties as I had a manager that instructed me NOT to bother with basic PPE, to use whatever tub and garbage bag I could find instead of 'wasting time getting a spill tub' and 'just tub em for now and process em later', not to mention the near constant discovery of improperly contained leakers that were just left laying around the DMP or 'quasi DMP'(several of which were the sort of things you DON'T want leaking all over, bleach, peroxide, alcohol, etc) which neither I or the other responder placed there leaving me unable yet still 'required' to describe when and where it was discovered(and to be told by management and security that 'discovery in the DMP isn't a proper answer', my business agent had fun with that one...).
You know how to hit all the easy money buckets...CHSP, responder , steward...you must be rollin in cash
 

Elmo.goes.to.prom

Well-Known Member
I am a responder with a ft sup and pt rmp that don't give 2 rats butts about leakers or hazmats. Also, working with a local sort that does absolutely nothing for leakers or hazmats. They say don't put on your PPE - I giggle as I put it on. They tell me not to stop a belt. I giggle as I stop the belt. I work as instructed but I refuse to work in violation of my responder duties.

So I took over the whole program. I do all leakers for the building. All hazmats for the building.

I rarely speak to my rmp. If I need advice I call the district environmental manager. If I need basic advice I call our sister building and talk to either the responder or the rmp there.

There are work arounds for everything. Being a responder doesn't have to be hard or stressful.
 
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