Tude:
……And didn`t it cause a stir!
I had the displeasure of having to collect some water for Aldi today, from a site near Lichfield.
I had to load my own trailer from a ramshackle bay thing…I really do not know what to call it, like something from the middle ages, anyways the chap seemed shocked that I did not know how to use the electric pallet truck thing and then went on to show me how to use it.
I said I needed to put straps on the load and this was met with derision and the comment “no one does that” So I informed that we strap everything and I will need a place to do this, he was not happy.Anyways, I loaded the lorry with 66 stupid little pallet thingies and when finished I noticed the platform was missing a chain link across the step access, so I took some photo`s.
Oh yes, they had said I could not take a break on the makeshift bay thing, but I explained I had to for WTD 6 hour rule and that if I had been loaded as is the norm, it would not have been a problem…So the manager was informed and I was told I could not do it, so I ignored them and had my break…Then I continued to load.
As I was strapping my load, this irate forklift chap came over asking why I was taking photo`s, he was very defensive and confrontational and telling me I could not do that, I put him right about public access etc. I also told him I was not happy about the H&S of their shoddy makeshift island bays and lack of any real restraint from stepping off the islands, he stormed off to tell another manager!
A H&S manager came over and asked me what was going on, so I told him and as the forkie drove off, I said I would be coming over to take more photo`s…It was said tongue in cheek.
So, the Operations manager, the H&S guy and the forkie are all there and Ops manager asks me what my problem is, in a rather confrontational manner, so I told him…But first I paused and told him I was searching for the correct word to describe the behaviour of the forkie and the manner in which he had conducted himself…The silence was beautiful, these three individuals all waiting from me to find the correct words, all of them thinking they had the upper hand, yet they were all waiting for me to speak ( I have done public speaking and stage stuff and been an ops manager) So I articulated myself to the standard of my extensive education and rendered their respective tool boxes useless…I then started to enjoy myself, they gave up and just told me I was banned form site for life, I thanked them as I told them I considered it to be a dangerous site and hopefully I could now continue to live my life without injury that could be so easily avoided…I also took my gloves off at one point, as I thought I was going to have to clump the ops manager, his posture did change somewhat as I did that and he realised that he was in danger of being injured himself.
All in all, I stood my ground and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Well let’s see the pictures.