The consignee's lawn is...

[AssistantSanta]

forbidden?
self "designated" walk path ?

I'm a helper.

All helpers at my orientation were specifically told not to walk in lawns.
The written safety card says "use designated walkpaths"
Driver says NOT to walk in the lawn as many consignees don't like it.(our route is mostly wealthy suburbs)

I only walk in the yard when there's a car parked too close to the edge of the driveway to walk with package(s) safely or without touching the car.

I searched here but there's no consensus. Some members see the lawn as a path if its the shortest path. Some see it as alternate path to get around obstruction/hazards.

 

[Catatonic]

None of the above - post 1 covers it better and makes good common sense.

 

[soberups]

The general rule is and should be to avoid walking on lawns.

Like most rules, there are exceptions. Common sense will guide you 99% of the time. There are lawns that are obviously manicured and landscaped, and there are "lawns" that are pretty much a patch of weeds and grass with no defined edges that the customer obviously doesnt give a damn about. Im not going to walk 100 extra feet in order to avoid 5 steps across a minimally maintained lawn.

 

[TheDick]

If you dont have a walkway or ur garage driveway is the walkpath I say drivers discretion. It should say that on the saftey card or whatever 340.

 

[Integrity]

forbidden?
self "designated" walk path ?

I'm a helper.

All helpers at my orientation were specifically told not to walk in lawns.
The written safety card says "use designated walkpaths"
Driver says NOT to walk in the lawn as many consignees don't like it.(our route is mostly wealthy suburbs)

I only walk in the yard when there's a car parked too close to the edge of the driveway to walk with package(s) safely or without touching the car.

I searched here but there's no consensus. Some members see the lawn as a path if its the shortest path. Some see it as alternate path to get around obstruction/hazards.

AssistanSanta,

This topic is not new, last year there was a very long spirited discussion thread on this very topic.

Employees are highly trained at UPS.

The problem with the culture at UPS is that following training and methods is not encouraged by many.

Getting it done at any cost to the employee is what permeates the UPS culture.

It is a panic stricken, unhappy existence for many.

When anything bad happens, such as an injury, auto crash, or a customer complaint, the incident is always measured by the training and the methods.

Common sense rarely comes in to play in these situations.

In these situations the employee will be held accountable to the training and the methods and not to their common sense or to their day to day job practices.

Common sense tells me that every employee is entitled and responsible to the the job exactly as they are trained.

Unfortunately that is not the case, the culture at UPS even has union brothers arguing over whether we need to follow training or not.

Be well.

Sincerely,
I

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Stay off of lawns and gardens at all possible. If walkpath is unlit, bring a flashlight. If it's icy and dangerous, leave a D-note. Obstructed, walk around obstruction but continue in walkpath.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Direct path from PC to FD.

 

[UPSGUY72]

The origin of staying off lawns has to do with the possibility of stepping in a whole that can't be seen and twisting your ankle. Using your 5 keys to avoid slips and falls as you are suppose eliminate this hazard. I take the the most direct walkable path from A to B whether I with a SUP or not and nothing is ever said.

I do believe that we have beat this top to death before.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I do have one customer who has a note on her front door requesting that no one walk on her front lawn; however, the note is so small that you don't see it until you have walked across her lawn to reach the front door.

As Sober said, if the lawn looks like the green on the 18th hole at Augusta then I stay off--otherwise it is a direct path from PC to FD.

 

[dilligaf]

Lawn? What's that? We don't have no stinkin lawns. I live in AZ. That's all desert. Just ask anyone.

 

[dannyboy]

If you were to ask the Union, the answer would be work as directed, right?

All helpers at my orientation were specifically told not to walk in lawns.
The written safety card says "use designated walkpaths"

I believe that is about as plain as it gets. I really never saw anything in the instructions that said do what you think is right, or do what the majority of drivers and helpers suggest. Not even the overwhelming vote on your poll changes the instructions.

Work as instructed, and stay out of trouble.

d

 

[AssistantSanta]

The union? Not sure why they exist for *me* but they surely take out $17 each month out of my pay. It's not a choice.

 

[capers8]

Strange, all helpers at my orientation were specifically told to walk on lawns (if it's the fastest route). I avoid flowerbeds and such as much as possible, but I have no problem walking through someone's yard. I've been doing it for 4 weeks now and haven't heard any complaints or requests not too. Even if someone did complain, I'd still probably do it. Someone that cares about their lawn more than the welfare of others and actually thinks a few steps on their lawn is going to destroy it should never be given any kind of satisfaction.

 

[AssistantSanta]

Strange, all helpers at my orientation were specifically told to walk on lawns (if it's the fastest route). I avoid flowerbeds and such as much as possible, but I have no problem walking through someone's yard. I've been doing it for 4 weeks now and haven't heard any complaints or requests not too. Even if someone did complain, I'd still probably do it. Someone that cares about their lawn more than the welfare of others and actually thinks a few steps on their lawn is going to destroy it should never be given any kind of satisfaction.

Did they give you a hand out? Did the written/presentation material say to walk through the lawn or did they tell you to disregard written materials?

You're acting like making visitors walk on the walk paths instead of the walk path a hazard.

 

[capers8]

Did they give you a hand out? Did the written/presentation material say to walk through the lawn or did they tell you to disregard written materials?

We didn't get any handouts or written materials (except dress code, appearance guidlines, etc). In a video we watched a UPS Driver walked through someone's front yard to deliver a package and our orientation guy told us to do the same because it's quicker.

 

[dannyboy]

[The union? Not sure why they exist for *me* but they surely take out $17 each month out of my pay. It's not a choice. /QUOTE]
Unions dont exist for you, they exist for themselves. Its not all about you.

The point I was trying to make is you follow instructions given to you by your boss, regardless of who you work for. IF you dont, you get fired. In your case, you have the union to intercede, and that is why I posted what I did. You work as instructed. Period. That way you dont get in trouble.

d

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Strange, all helpers at my orientation were specifically told to walk on lawns (if it's the fastest route). I avoid flowerbeds and such as much as possible, but I have no problem walking through someone's yard. I've been doing it for 4 weeks now and haven't heard any complaints or requests not too. Even if someone did complain, I'd still probably do it. Someone that cares about their lawn more than the welfare of others and actually thinks a few steps on their lawn is going to destroy it should never be given any kind of satisfaction.

Keep in mind that you are on the job for about a month while your driver has to deliver to these people all year. If someone asks you to stay off of their lawn then you stay off of their lawn.

 

[AssistantSanta]

I'll stick with working safe as instructed during orientation. I'm not running my own business or have a quota to satisfy. Bending rules on safety or ticking off consignees doesn't benefit me one bit. UPS doesn't use helper if it isn't needed.

Even if I'm not fast, I don't think UPS would consider having helpers if numbers don't show their usefulness in aggregate average. While I'm aware helpers don't necessarily add productivity, that isn't always helpers' fault. From business perspectives, I think the ability to place helpers on route throughout the year as needed make sense.

Helper's proficiency with DIAD steadily increases during the first month or so and they've only got maybe a month before they're terminated. Now you could only imagine the efficacy gain that can be realized if they can stay longer

 

[gman042]

After driver ride my center manager made the comment that I was the only driver she had seen that used designated walkways. I wasn't even away that I did that. However that is not always the case. I do take direct route from PC to FD. I guess it just depends on what the flavor of the day is.

 

[satellitedriver]

Lawn? What's that? We don't have no stinkin lawns. I live in AZ. That's all desert. Just ask anyone.

Dilli,
Back in the stone age-(1970's)- I was visiting in Phoenix.
Some of the homes had works of art, in colored gravel, as their front yard.
Intricate patterns, mosaics and State Flags, ect...............
I would never walk/drag a pkg across that type of"lawn".
We spend so much time mowing grass every weekend that the standing joke is that I want to cover three acres in green gravel.

If the drought in Texas continues, I just might.