Hello everyone,Nice to be back, some advise required please.
Can anyone help me with regarding SAFE Loading of Trailers that carry roll cages with ANBIENT STOCK. I am suffering with my shoulders now and my elbows and wrists too.
Our company load roll cages the wrong way round so that the handles are at the rear. These roll cages are then put down the channels of Fridge Trailers which means the only way you can pull these ambeint roll cages out is to put your fingers through the cages and DRAG the cages out!!!Also stock is thrown over the top of these cages usually to the ceiling. The stock is supposed to be crisp or toilet rolls but this is Not always the case.
Ambient roll cages and pallets are put right to the end so that there is no working area to turn these cages around hence you have to stand on the tail lift.Drivers are also expected to off load several roll cages at a store only to put these cages back onto the trailer because the Frozen stock is blocked in.
I have refused to even touch these cages now because quite simply my shoulders are that ruined I cant.
Any help would be greatly appreacieted please.
They used to bang them on any old way at Somerfield but there must have been a few complaints or no doubt claims and they started loading them properly with handles out.
We were also told to take cages back this way also despite the fact they were feather light with the cardboard but that wasn`t a biggy.
It was the weight of the bloody things though especially the ones filled up with coke bottles that used to crack me up as you would then get 2 or 3 with one box of crisps in them.
Get it in writing and then get to the docs. and then you will soon see a change when their threatened with a claim.
Mind on their fridges they had 3 aisles and they used these bar holders as stoppers and if you where on an incline you had to put a stopper in about 3 feet from the cage and put your leg on it and push back using your back to try to get them out, sometimes a couple of the stackers had to give you a hand as it was sore going.
I ended up going to an agency that dealt with Morrisons where you never lift a finger.
Has the company undertaken a Manual Handling Assessment?
If so, the procedure to load and unload the trailers will be documented.
This will have taken into account;
avoiding hazardous manual handling operations so far as reasonably practicable;
assessing any hazardous manual handling operations that cannot be avoided; and
reducing the risk of injury so far as reasonably practicable
as prescribed in The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (amended).
If not they have a legal ogligation to do so.
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), including manual handling injuries,
are the most common type of occupational ill health in the UK.
Even if they have completed an assessment they should still respond to your particular issues.
I assume we are talking about Lea Green here, when I worked there on agency I did find the odd cage loaded the wrong way around and I agree they are a ■■■■■■■ to pull off, especially the ones loaded with drinks and because you can’t steer them they rub along the walls, making it even harder.
Are you saying that they are all loaded the wrong way around now?
Is there a grievance procedure that you can go through?
at palmer and harvey the put the outside cages on long ways and put the middle cages side on, these can be a right nightmare to get out but they have stopped putting the heaviest cages like this now which is a good thing.
im usually out double manned so we never haveproblems with heavy cages as much but ive worked at 3663 once and it was hard work and i never even got a hand to get the cages up th eloading ramps to get them into the place byt he staff who worked there. quick trip to the chiropractor after work tho sorted things out
only thing i didnt like about 3663 was the bar stoppers to keep the cages in place, they were hopeless.
At the firms I’ve worked with roll cages, if they’re too wide to get three side by side they’ve been loaded in the following pattern to stop them running away…
I = facing the way you roll it up the trailer.
= at right angles to the way you roll it up the trailer, ie you roll it up then turn it left or right 90 degrees and shove it to the side.
I -
I
…down the wagon with the handles facing you and strapped every 3 or four rows.
I can see what you are saying guys, the trouble is at lea Green they load ambient cages onto fridge trailers, the type with the 2 partition walls running down the length of the trailer
You have hit the nail on the head!It’s the fridge trailers that are the worst with the spines that are totally locked. At one time you could lift a leaver and move them but not any more.
I wrote a letter to Lea Green to say that the way trailers are Not Loaded Correctly I’m having problems! But no one bothered to get back to me.
I got the NEW Health and Saftey rep out plus the Risk assessor out one day because the cages were overloaded with bottles and cans. I was totally annoyed , They had to handball the stock into 6 cages, only then I decided to get up and deliver to the store!
Whats bothering me now is after at least 2 years of struggling permanent damage has been done to my shoulders.
At the time I thought it was just me because I’m a woman, but after doing a petition with 130 drivers who all felt the same as myself ,I realised there was a serious problem. Defect reporting and incident reporting was going on all the time Yet the issues got worse.!!! And Still to this day its still happeniing!
I may have to pack in lorry driving for good now which is upsetting me because I love my job■■?
ladybird48:
Whats bothering me now is after at least 2 years of struggling permanent damage has been done to my shoulders.
Take a phone camera with you. On every load, before you set off check the cages are the right way and if they aren’t notify the management and take a photo of it and record the date/time and delivery address.
I Know that The Co op are coming in soon we hope that they are going to use our RDC?
So cost cutting and compacting of trailers are the norm here at the moment. And some shops are going! but I have tried my hardest to find out what the legislation is regarding loading of trailers and I cannot find anything.
Its seems a shame that we are all getting injured?
Thanks for your help so far.
ladybird48:
I Know that The Co op are coming in soon we hope that they are going to use our RDC?
So cost cutting and compacting of trailers are the norm here at the moment. And some shops are going! but I have tried my hardest to find out what the legislation is regarding loading of trailers and I cannot find anything.
Its seems a shame that we are all getting injured?
Thanks for your help so far.
For co-op read my post on somerfield who are or will be taking over co-op, its much the same I am afraid.
Serious hard work.
If its the fridges with the 2 partitions down the midlle that you are talking about then no change is imminent for you I am afraid.
There is legislation in place on what weight someone should be moving by hand or with pallet trucks and the like.
I used to do work for cobelfreight and you had to unload there containers but things like dog food stacked two pallets high and stuff I just refused to do it.
The rdc`s were not long in getting it on a bay and doing it themselves.
Why should you permanently injure yourself to do some wee plooky university graduate in an office a favour.
Tell them to come with you and unload it themselves.
Try having a browse through this and see if it helps.
