Freight Dog:
sammym:
Franglais:
David H:
If ever there was a comprehensive investigation into Aldi and Lidl ‘self-tip’ policies this is it. It cost Aldi a million quid.
healthandsafetyatwork.com/w … il-reveals
Interesting, what I can read of it. But it seems to refer to Aldi employed drivers? Is there a difference if the injuries are to a visiting driver? One who self declares that they are competent and fully trained to operate a powered pallet truck?
What happens if you refuse to sign such a form because you are not trained? If they send you away surely it’s on your company to give you training?
Don’t think so. If you’re not happy with how to operate a pallet truck ask someone at Aldi to show you and guide you through. That’s the training. If you did a course in one at Fork lift truck university it would probably take five mins 
.
I think where people have an issue is they know Aldi are doing it because it’s cheap. For me I knew that but I quite liked riding around on the pallet trucks so didn’t care
The Devil’s in the detail.
The Aldi RIDDOR reports don’t distinguish between Aldi ‘employed’ or visiting drivers. Its down to Aldi to report an accident from whoever wants the accident reported. RIDDOR is concerned with accidents ‘on site’ not who legally employs the victim. Aldi sites, be them stores or RDC’s don’t share RIDDOR information. This worked against Aldi when the Amber Valley prosecutor totalled them all up.
Aldi weren’t fined a million quid for breaking one drivers toes, They were fined a million quid because similar accidents were happening on their premises elsewhere, be them stores or RDC’s, and Aldi were doing nothing to prevent it despite 20 RIDDOR reports. As a company Aldi should have a mechanism to implement ‘comparative best practice’ which means introducing measures to prevent reoccurring accidents among company locations. Otherwise its a case of ‘yes it happened over there but until it happens here we’ll do nothing about it.’
In the case of RDC’s Aldi benefit from visiting drivers providing for all intents and purposes not only ‘free labour’ but an ineffective RIDDOR reporting scheme that does not flag up repeat offenders (another failing). Aldi realised that it was OK to keep reporting RIDDOR’s because nothing happened.
RIDDOR is a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) led initiative. RDC’s and shop stores are not under HSE cover. RDC’s, regardless of size, and stores are under the cover of the Environmental Health Department of the local council they are situated in.
For example, the huge Aldi RDC at Swindon is regulated by the Environmental Health Department of Swindon County Council. The same department that regulates fast food outlets. They’re understaffed and can’t build up a case until they receive enough complaints.
Its only when someone is killed that the HSE investigates.
Regardless of this you still get the Baldrick type drivers on here chuntering on that when at Aldi or Lidl they’d carry every carton off the trailer on a roller skate if they had to lol.
But seriously, when you have an industry that’s staffed by driving personnel involved in a ethical free for all you’ll often find yourself fighting a corner only to find someone else behind you walking round it because they think otherwise.