At the moment I am doing multi drop Class 2 work through agency, and sometimes we have to deliver bags of gravel, stones on a pallet to houses etc that do not have a forlklift. These are the type that are normally delivered by HIAB.
We are provided with a pallet truck & the rest is just brute force. Now I’m not a weak person but sometimes I can barely move them onto the tailift. Getting it onto tailift & then off the wagon can take ages, due to the weight.
They weigh at least 1000kg (that’s what it says on paperwork), but I suspect some are heavier.
Question is, is there any limit to what you are allowed to unload by hand? I’m concerned that if I get injured agency would just replace me & say sorry that was the job.Tough.
Thinking of telling them that I don’t handball 1000kg pallets anymore I’ve only got one back after all
Any views /advice ?
When you signed up for the agency, did they give you a Manual Handling assessment? When I was with Initial this was standard practice so that the agency could prove that the driver knew safe lifting and handling techniques.
If they didn’t then AFAIK they are liable if you suffer an injury.
keano1:
At the moment I am doing multi drop Class 2 work through agency, and sometimes we have to deliver bags of gravel, stones on a pallet to houses etc that do not have a forlklift. These are the type that are normally delivered by HIAB.
We are provided with a pallet truck & the rest is just brute force. Now I’m not a weak person but sometimes I can barely move them onto the tailift. Getting it onto tailift & then off the wagon can take ages, due to the weight.
They weigh at least 1000kg (that’s what it says on paperwork), but I suspect some are heavier.
Question is, is there any limit to what you are allowed to unload by hand? I’m concerned that if I get injured agency would just replace me & say sorry that was the job.Tough.
Thinking of telling them that I don’t handball 1000kg pallets anymore I’ve only got one back after all
Any views /advice ?
keano1:
At the moment I am doing multi drop Class 2 work through agency, and sometimes we have to deliver bags of gravel, stones on a pallet to houses etc that do not have a forlklift. These are the type that are normally delivered by HIAB.
We are provided with a pallet truck & the rest is just brute force. Now I’m not a weak person but sometimes I can barely move them onto the tailift. Getting it onto tailift & then off the wagon can take ages, due to the weight.
They weigh at least 1000kg (that’s what it says on paperwork), but I suspect some are heavier.
Question is, is there any limit to what you are allowed to unload by hand? I’m concerned that if I get injured agency would just replace me & say sorry that was the job.Tough.
Thinking of telling them that I don’t handball 1000kg pallets anymore I’ve only got one back after all
Any views /advice ?
keano1:
At the moment I am doing multi drop Class 2 work through agency, and sometimes we have to deliver bags of gravel, stones on a pallet to houses etc that do not have a forlklift. These are the type that are normally delivered by HIAB.
We are provided with a pallet truck & the rest is just brute force. Now I’m not a weak person but sometimes I can barely move them onto the tailift. Getting it onto tailift & then off the wagon can take ages, due to the weight.
They weigh at least 1000kg (that’s what it says on paperwork), but I suspect some are heavier.
Question is, is there any limit to what you are allowed to unload by hand? I’m concerned that if I get injured agency would just replace me & say sorry that was the job.Tough.
Thinking of telling them that I don’t handball 1000kg pallets anymore I’ve only got one back after all
Any views /advice ?
Pallex by any chance?
Correct Scotty
Yeah our local lads are also complaining must be at least 1200kilos in them bags.
1000kg.■■? No wonder you cannot handball them. 1000 kg = 1 metric tonne. ie 2224 lb= 20 hundredweight… Per bag?? Tell the boss to give it a go himself.
Just read through this again, and I see now that you mean they’re “tote bags” not a pallet of 25kg bags, sorry.
No way should you be dealing with that on your own, and the prat who took the job on wants his backside kicking. Who’s the sending customer? I’ll bet a quid it’s that UK On-Line outfit, internet builders’ merchants.
gnasty gnome:
Just read through this again, and I see now that you mean they’re “tote bags” not a pallet of 25kg bags, sorry.
No way should you be dealing with that on your own, and the prat who took the job on wants his backside kicking. Who’s the sending customer? I’ll bet a quid it’s that UK On-Line outfit, internet builders’ merchants.
Name and shame please!
Yeah there bulk bags full of loose gravel designed to be delivered by hi-ab, but put onto pallets as that’s the only way to get them through the Pallex network.
We even got one that had about 10 extra 25kg bags of a different coloured gravel put on top .Next time we get one in i will name and shame,as it is totally out of order.
And I have just sent them a message via their website;
"Dear Sirs
It has come to my attention that you distribute your products via the Pallex network. You may not be aware that the Pallex delivery drivers are having to unload your goods on their own without assistance, using a hand pallet truck, a totally unsuitable practice given the nature of the freight. I respectfully suggest that this is an accident waiting to happen, and could well result in negative publicity for your company should such an accident occur."
And I have just sent them a message via their website;
"Dear Sirs
It has come to my attention that you distribute your products via the Pallex network. You may not be aware that the Pallex delivery drivers are having to unload your goods on their own without assistance, using a hand pallet truck, a totally unsuitable practice given the nature of the freight. I respectfully suggest that this is an accident waiting to happen, and could well result in negative publicity for your company should such an accident occur."
Suit you sir?
And I would not be surprised if you get a message back saying, “We Know”
You should be sure that access to your delivery address is suitable for LARGE vehicles with rear tail-lift offload. Delivery will be to the nearest kerbside or hard-standing by tail-lift lorry and manually operated pallet truck. We will accept no liability for damage to lorry or property caused by leaving the road, and written instructions accepting the risk before we depart from this procedure will be required. Most of Stone To Home U.K. customers benefit from LOW COST DELIVERY. However in certain cases, delivery charges are calculated on a per-product basis. Please make note of the delivery charges associated with each item
Buycrider:
1000kg.■■? No wonder you cannot handball them. 1000 kg = 1 metric tonne. ie 2224 lb= 20 hundredweight… Per bag?? Tell the boss to give it a go himself.
What a load of tosh. I regularly pull 1.3 tonne IBC containers out of the back of fridges with a pump truck and I’ve got a spinal injury. If I can manage 1.3 tonnes, a fit person can handle 1 tonne with no problem.
A tonne pallet is not handball, its not even difficult to move.
For you maybe not. For many of us, it’s impossible. The point being that each person should be aware of their own ability and they have a legal right not to be forced beyond that point. My limit is about 750kg these days, and I never go beyond it, end of.
What’s ok for one person is NOT necessarily ok for another, which is why there is not legal limit set in stone. To decide that something is or is not reasonable based on one person’s ability is simply ridiculous which is why the law allows for personal differences.
A tonne pallet is not handball, its not even difficult to move.
For you maybe not. For many of us, it’s impossible. The point being that each person should be aware of their own ability and they have a legal right not to be forced beyond that point. My limit is about 750kg these days, and I never go beyond it, end of.
What’s ok for one person is NOT necessarily ok for another, which is why there is not legal limit set in stone. To decide that something is or is not reasonable based on one person’s ability is simply ridiculous which is why the law allows for personal differences.
I used to run manaul handling courses a few years ago and I am nearly certain that the way it is worded is something along the lines of
" the individual carrying out the task should first test the load"
for example try to move the load with a comforatble amount of force i.e. without
straining.
Now every individual is obviously diffrent in build strength etc and the key to avoiding injury and the get out clause that any insurance company fending of a claim is based around the following.
"If the individual can not move the load safely they should ask for assistance "
Now I know the above seems like blue sky thinking but take it from me if a risk assesment has been carried out and the indivdual has had manual handling training then you are out on a limb (NO PUN)
but very few employers give manual handling training these days or are even aware of the responsibilities they have.
but very few employers give manual handling training these days or are even aware of the responsibilities they have.
Sad but true. Fortunately ours do, and I had mine updated just a fortnight ago, which is how I know both Conor and Wheelnut are making potentially dangerous sweeping generalisations.
