Muddy K:
With the cages, you either get a really nice straightforward drop, or a right [zb].You learn little techniques, and once you get a drop you been to before it gets easier.
Many a time the loaders get it all wrong. Heavy [zb] at the top etc.
I’ve only been doing it 8 weeks, and I’ve had 2 cages go over. Ironically both near enough the same situation.
Tailift+gravity+camber+speed/mass + tiny bump equals cage gone nosedive into the pavement. It’s the front wheels, they are smaller than the rears and are not as wide apart under the cage, this causes an imbalance and the front of the cage likes to tip in the corners.
If you use the back wheels as the front wheels, it’s easier. They are bigger, so are better for bumps/ramps/on+off the tail lift etc. Also they are wider apart. Less likely to get stuck in a tiny little rut somewhere too.
Also if your cage gets stuck in something and it’s too heavy to pull it out, stand on the side of the cage and push it on the back very top corner until you get one wheel out of the hole, then switch sides and push the other top corner of the cage from the side, until the other wheel comes out. It’s actually easy, and what your doing is tilting one side of the cage on its side a little, and then pushing it around a little until the wheel is no longer in the hole. Almost like rocking it side to side. Find it a lot easier that way. Works for potholes and little door ramps where your cage just won’t budge.
Wages wise any class 2 multi drop handball food/fridge work is around £15 p/HR.
DHL do pay overtime though at an enhanced rate (when you go over your contracted hours for the week + if you come in on a non contacted day). Also weekends are a premium shift so an uplift there - not everyone does that.
Plus the pension is potentially one of the better ones out there