On Monday during our PCM we were told to watch our egress. And then our part-supervisor said UPS was fined by OSHA for not having the aisle space. My first thought was about time. Anyways I asked around to find out where, and the only thing i heard was somewhere in the midwest. Is there anyone that knows what building it was at and why were they fined. Like was it during the preload, or twilight or midnight sorts.
UPS fined by OSHA in midwest for egress
- Thread starter Ptrunner
- Start date
BURMDPsupe
Well-Known Member
It's kinda funny how the government can fine us for various issues in the operations but can't seen to find leaders of ponzi schemes until it's too late. Trust me, I'm not advocating a lack of egress, but it seems like the some priorities are out of whack. Boxes on the sort aisle don't jeopardize 40 billion dollars worth of investments (fraudulent or not).
M-
M-
Catatonic
Nine Lives
PT Barnum - Posted sign to get people out of his Exhibits
"This Way to the Egress"
P.T. Barnum noticed that people were lingering too long at his exhibits. He posted signs indicating "This Way to the Egress". Not knowing that "Egress" was another word for "Exit", people followed the signs to what they assumed was a fascinating exhibit...and ended up outside.
"This Way to the Egress"
P.T. Barnum noticed that people were lingering too long at his exhibits. He posted signs indicating "This Way to the Egress". Not knowing that "Egress" was another word for "Exit", people followed the signs to what they assumed was a fascinating exhibit...and ended up outside.
It is public knowledge, surf for it under state osha's or Fed, depending on the state. Usually, Cal-OSHA finds that UPS is one of the absolute SAFEST companies that they call on - I got rid of a $7,000 fine in one of the buildings once after an inspection and some discussion... I mean, we really try to keep the aisles clear, and they know that most complaints are from UPSers who are unhappy about something else, or we have simply ignored a safety issue too long - that was my experience as the Compliance supe for North Cal 1999 - 2004.
writer
Preoad Supervisor
I got hurt during work and had to have surgery because I have to walk around unload devices on the area behind the cars (we have a slide sort) and the damn platforms are missing. The walkway is VERY narrow behind the unload devices. Seems the platforms are supposed to be there but are being used for other stuff everwhere else. Every day we put this on our post sort report that they are needed and are told we can't buy anymore. Hmmmmm
705red
Browncafe Steward
It also helps that nor cal teamsters do not mess around and ignore safety. Not to take away from you if you tried to run the operation safely. I have to stop occasionally because i see egress problems and have actually threatened to call 911 and have the fire department show up for it.
Im glad to see someone cares about safety!
5/2005: OSHA inspected the Sharonville, Ohio Hub. Inspection #308788140.
6/6/2005: OSHA issued Citation and Notification of Penalty
8/14/2007:Administrative Law Judge Ken S. Welsch issues Decision and Order finding UPS guilty of not maintaining unobstructed 28-inch wide exit paths.
10/3/2007: Occupational Safety And Health Review Commission found UPS guilty:
Secretary of Labor v. United Parcel Service, Inc.
OSHRC Docket No. 05-1115
- - - -
1/9/2009 proposed nationwide Corporate Settlement Agreement (CSA) between OSHA and UPS posted in Sharonville, Ohio Hub includes:
Training of all employees by 3/31/2009.
Applies to all package facilities nationwide.
UPS must prove violations have been abated in Sharonville.
UPS pays $4,400 fine.
UPS agrees 28-inch wide exit path applies to entire path, from work area to outdoors, not just by the exit door. Path must be kept clear at almost all times.
Sort Aisle C-slides, occasional packages, and irregulars (bulk) train may obstruct work areas in limited circumstances.
All employees will be required to obey a new set of work rules and undergo annual training in keeping exit paths unobstructed. [Basically UPS signed a CSA to solve its problems with OSHA by obligating us to assume the responsibility of keeping exit paths clear. Just like they solved a previous OSHA problem by obligating us to know all those Depth of Knowledge safety questions. If you have been threatened with discipline if you didn't know your D of K answers, this may be deja vu all over again!]
UPS doesn't admit guilt. [Naturally. They're just spending millions of dollars fighting this three-plus year battle and agreeing to major training requirements and work rule changes nationwide for the heck of it.]
OSHA needs no warrants or subpoenas to access UPS facilities or obtain UPS documents to verify UPS is complying with this CSA.
- - - -
I believe the Case is still going on! I have the Egress Case Decision (32-pages, 1,232kb), the proposed Egress CSA (10-pages, 680kb) and a few other documents, but each exceed BrownCafe's file attachment size requirements. Unfortunately, they are scanned files so they are "pictures" of the pages, rather than text files. I searched for "OSHRC Docket No. 05-115" but only found a Friend of the Court brief by the Chamber of Commerce. Any ideas for getting these files posted online so everyone can download 'em?
The Decision and proposed CSA are interesting reading and show how UPS fights and delays OSHA's safety efforts up until UPS looses the battle. Then it embraces the safety proceedures and enforces them on us! If you didn't know about all their anti-safety lobbying and court suits over the years, you'd think they were a very pro-safety company. Every Safety Committee member should get a hold of these (and similar) documents, as well as the safety grievances decided by the National Safety & Health Committee. It will open your eyes.
6/6/2005: OSHA issued Citation and Notification of Penalty
8/14/2007:Administrative Law Judge Ken S. Welsch issues Decision and Order finding UPS guilty of not maintaining unobstructed 28-inch wide exit paths.
10/3/2007: Occupational Safety And Health Review Commission found UPS guilty:
Secretary of Labor v. United Parcel Service, Inc.
OSHRC Docket No. 05-1115
- - - -
1/9/2009 proposed nationwide Corporate Settlement Agreement (CSA) between OSHA and UPS posted in Sharonville, Ohio Hub includes:
Training of all employees by 3/31/2009.
Applies to all package facilities nationwide.
UPS must prove violations have been abated in Sharonville.
UPS pays $4,400 fine.
UPS agrees 28-inch wide exit path applies to entire path, from work area to outdoors, not just by the exit door. Path must be kept clear at almost all times.
Sort Aisle C-slides, occasional packages, and irregulars (bulk) train may obstruct work areas in limited circumstances.
All employees will be required to obey a new set of work rules and undergo annual training in keeping exit paths unobstructed. [Basically UPS signed a CSA to solve its problems with OSHA by obligating us to assume the responsibility of keeping exit paths clear. Just like they solved a previous OSHA problem by obligating us to know all those Depth of Knowledge safety questions. If you have been threatened with discipline if you didn't know your D of K answers, this may be deja vu all over again!]
UPS doesn't admit guilt. [Naturally. They're just spending millions of dollars fighting this three-plus year battle and agreeing to major training requirements and work rule changes nationwide for the heck of it.]
OSHA needs no warrants or subpoenas to access UPS facilities or obtain UPS documents to verify UPS is complying with this CSA.
- - - -
I believe the Case is still going on! I have the Egress Case Decision (32-pages, 1,232kb), the proposed Egress CSA (10-pages, 680kb) and a few other documents, but each exceed BrownCafe's file attachment size requirements. Unfortunately, they are scanned files so they are "pictures" of the pages, rather than text files. I searched for "OSHRC Docket No. 05-115" but only found a Friend of the Court brief by the Chamber of Commerce. Any ideas for getting these files posted online so everyone can download 'em?
The Decision and proposed CSA are interesting reading and show how UPS fights and delays OSHA's safety efforts up until UPS looses the battle. Then it embraces the safety proceedures and enforces them on us! If you didn't know about all their anti-safety lobbying and court suits over the years, you'd think they were a very pro-safety company. Every Safety Committee member should get a hold of these (and similar) documents, as well as the safety grievances decided by the National Safety & Health Committee. It will open your eyes.
soberups
Pees in the brown Koolaid
I am betting that instead of slowing down the belts and enlarging the facilities to solve the problem, the company will just have the Safety Committee come up with a "7 point egress commentary" that all of us will have to recite, complete with acronyms, catch phrases and doughnuts as a reward for successful memorization.
UnconTROLLed
perfection
There will never be a seven keys of egress
"Stop belts"
"pick up falling boxes"
"move packages to the side"
"load packages from the preload efficiency piles
etc
They all sound like stealing time, never gonna happen.
Bubblehead
My Senior Picture
Not sure if it was a 7 point commentary, but nothing was done besides meaningless gestures as you described.
The hub in question, not unlike the one in Oregon that you work, was outdated and undersized after about 5 years of it being opened.
That was in 1986.
bluehdmc
Well-Known Member
A lot of the buildings I've been in certainly haven't had 28" inches of room when the irregular carts are in the unload aisles. Most of the time you can barely squeeze through sideways. I've seen exits blocked by carts, packages, tires, etc. I've come in an exit door to check a trailer and have just knocked the stuff off the stairs and had a part-time sup say, "Come on".
My reply was, "Blocked Egress, Fire Hazard."
I'd hate to see what would happen if a package caught fire, (even if it was something UPS doesn't ship and it got snuck on there anyway).
My reply was, "Blocked Egress, Fire Hazard."
I'd hate to see what would happen if a package caught fire, (even if it was something UPS doesn't ship and it got snuck on there anyway).
Catatonic
Nine Lives
That's unusual ... they are usually outdated and undersized by the time they open.
The Blackadder
Are you not amused?
I love how they design a building to a certian size, then give us a package car that is so big that you can not close the overhead doors all the way, makes the preload so happy on those mornings when it is 10 degrees outside with a nice 25 mph wind.
hurricanegunner
UPSPoop
When will OSHA start inspecting the trucks and demanding 28 inches of aisle space in those? Perchance, to dream.
Three emails sent with attached files. (They may be caught by your spam filter if they aren't sitting in your inbox.)
ORLY!?!
Master Loader
( I'm not insulting you at all )
I'm pretty sure if there was a fire in a building with little to no egress, we would find some extremely motivated employees that day, lol!
