Handing in your Keys at RDC's

[dazza_1]

What does everyone think about the policy of some firms which states that drivers of HGV’s tipping/loading on cushioned bays with dock levellers must hand their keys in to the loading bay staff – to avoid the likelihood of someone driving off whilst people are working in the trailer?

I don’t know about you, but I don’t fancy handing over my keys to your average loading bay operative (e.g. spotty, adolescent, foul mouthed, with the uncanny ability to listen to rap music at around 150 decibels and generally, not really bothered about the job at all, and only took it ‘cos the New Deal meant he had to or he’d lose his benefit) well that’s my opinion anyway.

I drive a MAN TGA and it’s useless without the keys, the ignition key is also the door key i.e. if the loaders have them in their possession I cannot use the radio, wind my windows up or down and I cannot lock my vehicle if I needed to go to the office for my paperwork etc, and as we all know, it only takes seconds for a sneak thief to be in and out of your unlocked cab.

Given the choice I would refuse to hand them over, the only trouble is you rarely get a say. This practice has gone so far now that recently, at a firm in Leeds I was told that I had to hand my keys in even though I’D ALREADY UNCOUPLED THE UNIT FROM THE TRAILER!

What does everyone else think? Vote now!

[liberace]

I’ve seen someone killed when a driver was told to pull foreward with his curtains open whilst a forklift still had his forks in a pallett in the top deck. So I’d vote yes every time. It does annoy me that the truck manufacturs (most of them anyway) make you have to key in to operate anything electrical Kettle, radio, windows etc . Why can they not just wire it to the live feed a la Iveco (only good thing about this particular make of Iveco in my humble opinion). They wonder why I prefer them to the Scannies/Mercs .

If they want to get in the cab, then I’ll deal with them in my own way. Similarly, anything goes missing, would the company be liable, because they hold the keys?

Oh, I voted yes, it’s a good idea by the way.

[smcaul]

liberace:
I’ve seen someone killed when a driver was told to pull foreward with his curtains open whilst a forklift still had his forks in a pallett in the top deck. So I’d vote yes every time.

So this would have happend regardless of him handing in his keys then as you say “he was told to pull forward”.

Personally, I always ask them to write on a piece of paper that they are taking full responsibility for the unit, trailer and all my belongins. I also ask them to pay for any food or drink whilst I am on site, as without the keys I do not have access to my own, and finally, I never actually give them the ignition key, that always gets taken off the set b4 I go in. A combination of the above ensures that I always have access to my vehicle.

[fozzie]

i voted no

but after i read wot othrs think i am 50/50 i suppose its for there safety but then again who is stupid enough to drive off without being told or checking they have finished

but mistakes and accidents do happen so im not sure

[brit_pete]

When we are loading or delivering by many of our firms customers

we have to lock our cabins and hand our keys over to the people

who are working on our lorrys, The vehicles are also secured either

with a wheel clamp, or two wheel chocks placed front -rear on one

wheel, and then in front of the wagon is placed a stop shield.

This has come about because of the accidents caused by drivers

moving off with out clearing if they are finished with the vehicle.

Whilist waiting for the vehicle , the drivers can go and stay in

a container which is just for drivers, if they have lunchbreak we

are allowed to use the firms canteen,

I have no problems with the placeing of the vehicles keys with

the people who are working on my vehicle as long as I have a

place to rest that is clean.tidy.and with reasonable furniture.

[bully]

Always used to carry an old set of cars keys with me and used to hand those in.

Bully

[kindle530]

I did it once with my car keys for a 3.30am tip, 3hrs later, and 30mins down the road, Homer Simpsons catchphrase sprang up D"oh! Turn around and collect car keys. When i got home i collected a bunch of old disused keys and used them, and if i forgot them, so what, no problem

[magic_mel]

Whilst it can be lonely sitting in a cab without the radio whilst being unloaded I would rather do that than risk having an accident. I have seen drivers so keen to leave, they have forgotten the back end> So yeah, hand the keys in it will prevent an accicent

[killsville]

smcaul:
I never actually give them the ignition key, that always gets taken off the set b4 I go in.

Good idea! You could give them any old keys and they probably wouldn’t know the difference!

[zebadee]

I always carry an old set of keys (off an old MAN btw) which at least look like truck keys as I’d never hand over the set for my truck. Yes, I’ve heard all the arguments about safty but the Co I’m delivering to have never yet accepted any sort of responsibility for a driver on their premisis, in fact it’s hard enough just to get to use the loo!!!
I voted ‘NO’

[chunky]

Voted yes. No problems with that at all.

Would you feel easy working in the back of a trailer if the roles were reversed?
I have been in one when this has happend loading roll cages. Driver went half way down the yard before stopping. I was ok but the other loader I was working suffered crush injuries to legs and chest as the cages rolled back and pinned him to the side.

In addition to handing in my keys I always stick my trailer brake on. Takes 15 secs but I have piece of mind.

[krankee]

I voted Yes.

I can recall times when I have awoken from the bunk and in a semi-conscious state could have looked in the wrong mirror and seen a green light.

Not having the use of the radio or electric windows IS a pain, but this is something that the vehicle manufacturers should be addressing. How many of us have taken this matter up with the people that build the trucks? Not many I’d guess.

At locations where I am allowed to retain the keys, I often pull the trailer brake. That way, even if I am ‘brain dead state’, I need to get out and whilst I’m there, I’ll also check that the leveller has been removed.

Dazza, the firm in Leeds, is that Arla Foods?

Possibly the worst is Morrisons, Wakefield, where they REQUIRE you to sit in what amounts to a corridor, on cast-off chairs, adjacent to a smelly toilet. Why does this RDC have such a policy when Rudd Heath and Bradford do not? And neither, to my knowledge, do any of the former Safeway RDC’s which have been taken over by Morrisons, although I did recently see signs suggesting such a policy, but it was not being enforced. Can’t remember where.

Morrisons prides itself on ‘customer focus’. Some months ago the Chairman featured on what was then the JY Prog extolling the virtues of the ‘Company Ethic’. Should he appear again then I would ask, “Are not Supplier Drivers customers also?”

Unfortunately, we are the mercy of Health & Safety legislation and, at every delivery point, there will be someone charged with responsibility to make a risk assessment. They, as in any sphere of risk, will adopt a “CYA” because they cannot be seen as being negligent in the procedures that they introduce.

At a certain collection point in Harlow, without a turning area, I always made a point of reversing into the yard. It was fairly tight, and, if you got it wrong, you stood the possibility of taking down half the office block.

One day, management tried to tell me to pull in forward and that their staff would ‘see me out’. As the building line was only about 30’ from the road, I asked them if their staff had been issued with Hi-Vis apparel, and had they been ‘Banksman’ trained.

‘Management’ made a speedy retreat.

[geezer466]

I voted yes.

As an URTU Safety Rep at a Safeway RDC I am only too aware of the accidents that have been caused by vehicles being removed from loading bays whilst oportatives are in the back unloading. People have been killed in the past and sadly to say will probably be in the future. Last one in my organisation was Bellshill about 2 years ago
I hear the comment about windows, radio’s etc but it is a requirement of all Firms to ensure the Health and Safety of ALL EMPLOYEES and VISITORS to a site, do a Google on Duty of Care if in any doubt…

I was party to all discussions and involved in the final policy decision on my own site prior to the introduction of this procedure we negotiated the use of the subsidised canteen facility for visiting drivers as a consequence.

So it’s not as if they have anywhere else to go!!!

For those that will ■■■■■ about this can I draw their attention to Sections 7 and 8. All will then be revealed. Individuals have been prosecuted under these sections and as we know from the rail industry scapegoats will be sought out.

[thebear]

Here we go… sections 7 and 8 of this act and that act
Most H&S Officers are USUALLY jumped up little ■■■■■■■■ who get ■■■■■■ pleasures out of telling drivers what to do!!
Some one tell me how the hell Whitbreads at Reading can INSIST you have steel toe capped boots on when you walk a grand distance of 20 yards from your truck to their office■■?
I was told it was in case a forklift ran my feet over!!!
I informed them that if a forklift ran my feet over, he was ■■■■■■ blind and shouldn’t be driving an FLT and secondly, if he ran my feet over, I was dead anyway cos he would have to get past my stomach first

[tramper]

Would the RDC be liable for any loss through theft from the cab, due to the fact that you cannot lock your cab whilst waiting, for hours, for your CMR/Delivery notes?Gate pass?

[peirre]

its a touchy subject.
but as someone who used to work in a warehouse loading trucks where they keys are NOT handed in, im only to aware of the dangers of working in the back of a trailer thats coupled up, I personnelly have 3 times had someone pull off the dock while its been on a red light, 1st time I was inside the trailer on a electric barrow, 2nd I was away from the trailer, and the dock leveller crashed down with a bang, and the 3rd time the barrow was on the leveller with 2 pallets of stuff, the dock leveller dropped, I jumped to the side, the barrow and pallets went flying outside crashing to the ground. Ive also had a driver back under a trailer that was on a red light to couple up and tug the pin to test the connection was ok while I`m inside the trailer loading, needless to say at that point I flipped, went outside, the driver ended up with a very bloody red nose and horezontal, me I ended up with blood on my forehead (where it had made contact with his nose) and was marched to the managers office for a rollocking.
so as someone whos seen both sides of the aurguement, how would YOU feel if a driver pulled off a bay while your loading it??

[wheel_nut]

It is health and safety gone bonkers, Whether you call it a working party or a ■■■■■■ encounter these jumped up little chits who were probably bullied at school, and are not tall enough to be a copper become H & S officers.

Anyone who is loading my trailer and then proceeds to assault me would be in court very quickly. You do your job, I will do mine

[wayne]

I always take the ignition key of. Siting ona bay 2-3 hours with no radio does my head in.

Wayne.

[peirre]

Wheel Nut:
Anyone who is loading my trailer and then proceeds to assault me would be in court very quickly. You do your job, I will do mine

the driver in question was politely asked why he pulled off the dock when it was pointed out that the dock light was STILL on RED
ONLY after I was met by a torrent of abuse and being told to feckofski by the drive, was he removed from his cab and given a flat nose.

numorous times drivers have pulled off the bays on RED and still the H&S bods won`t insist drivers hand in key, stating all the above dodges that drivers do. 1 of the loaders ended up seriously injured after ending up on the floor with an electric barrow and 2 pallets pinning him to the ground by the legs after the driver pulled off on RED
though the driver was kicked off site and barred in this case, oddly enough he was back on site a week later

as for radio / windows etc, I`m lucky because my ERF ect radio / windows work without the ignition keys, though the radio is set to knock off after an hour

[wheel_nut]

ve also had a driver back under a trailer that was on a red light to couple up and tug the pin to test the connection was ok while Im inside the trailer loading, needless to say at that point I flipped,

or

the driver in question was politely asked why he pulled off the dock when it was pointed out that the dock light was STILL on RED
ONLY after I was met by a torrent of abuse and being told to [zb] by the drive, was he removed from his cab and given a flat nose.