Hookloader training?

Been at 3 places on agency using RoRos over the years.

First was 13 years ago, paper contracts, mainly compactors. Did 2 days out with one of their drivers, it was winter and really didn’t get on with the idea of trying to line up the bin precisely in the pitch black early mornings, especially when very cold and wet, asked the agency to take me off the job as I simply didn’t have the confidence to try it alone. Also didn’t like the idea of having to pick up whatever fell out when the bin was moved, probably worthwhile for the employed drivers at the time as they were on a good wage.

A few months later another firm shifting trade waste, did odds and ends for them, mainly dustcarts and then had a day out with the regular driver of their RoRo. He was happy enough to say on our return that he’d have no issues with me covering him when required. Main issue with that firm was that you seemed to need a criminal record to work there, driver I was with seemed quite proud of serving time for armed robbery! Didn’t go back as the firm folded, probably all locked up again!!!

Employed on multi-drop for several years then went back on agency 5 years ago, put into a firm doing council work, servicing household tips. Supposed to be 3 days training with accredited trainer, the 3rd day being an assessment too, get signed off then you’re welcome back, don’t and you won’t be. He wasn’t available for the first 2 days and decided that I hadn’t been shown enough of how they wanted things done on day 3, so he went through his methods in full, so my training took 5 days. Three good years on agency with them, enough work for a reasonable wage that covered the few quiet weeks in the year without needing to take up too much work at places I didn’t care for.

He jacked in the training part a couple of years ago, mainly due to the ever revolving door of agency drivers coming in for training, some not coming back after day 1 or simply not getting enough work from the firm so taking longer contracts elsewhere. It was noticeable how much the damage increased after he stopped, nets getting shredded, net arms getting bent into interesting shapes, bins getting dropped causing site and/or vehicle damage, etc…

If you are going to do it then you really should be getting paid extra for the added responsibility, especially if you’re likely to get blamed for one of your trainees destroying something.