British Bakeries Avonmouth require you to drop the trailer and park up the unit in an allocated bay before they tip. OTOH, British Bakeries Forest Gate don’t make you drop the trailer (probably because there isn’t space to park a unit anywhere else).
Also, at Forest Gate, the driver is required to remove the dock leveller, shut the back of the truck, and close the bay door (so that they know that no-one is on the trailer when they pull out); Avonmouth have a big sign saying “Drivers must not operate dock levellers”
Tesco:
we hope that drivers will recognize how important ensuring the safety of our staff and the drivers is to us and the importance of having safeguarding measures in place."
What a load of rubbish. They are not ensuring safety at all. They are denying or ignoring drivers Health and Safety though. Just what gives them the right to stipulate that drivers are banned from their own trucks, which does not make it at all safe. And why are they not supplying suitable equipment to secure the trailer to the bay ■■ Then they can say they are making things safe and complying with Health and Safety.
Middleton (Chilled) - Yes
Snodland - Yes, and always has been
Harlow - Yes, although the culinary ingredients bear little resemblance to the menu description.
“British Sugar”
Health and Safety there is paramount, but the difference in attitude is unbelievable.
On arrival, you have to do an induction into H&S on site.
Very polite lady at reception takes you through it “With a cup of coffee”
Now there was a mix up with my loading time, I was there 2 hours early.
Reception lady rang up the loading area to enquire possibility of loading early, 2 minutes later the Manager hinself walked over “Quote” I am sorry driver but your goods are not ready yet, but you are welcome to use the canteen or wait in here and have another cup of cofee. (Warm comfortable room with kettle and microwave and comfy seating)
10 minutes to my loading time I was in the bay and loaded in 20 minutes.
Now I was treated with respect, polite and courteous staff that did everything they could to make my wait comfortable.
Goes to show that H&S can be introduced to a high standard without inconvenience to the driver.
Tesco simply do not put the visiting driver into their equation when considering changes,
If a firm like “British Sugar” can do it, why can’t Tesco■■?
I would like to use some of your comments on this and other Tesco related threads.
Anybody who does not want me to use their comments please say so, no names will be used, just the comments.
I will of course ask Rikki and Lucy’s permission.
The Reply in Com Motor from Tesco just shows that head office do not know what is going on at the different RDCs.
I am sure with your help we will put them in the picture
Lucy:
An afterthought…ask them what they do with pregnant drivers who need use of their bunk will you?
Or any other driver who may wish to use their bunk. Note the their bunk bit, which Tesco should have no control over whatsoever, if they were doing their side of things properly.
Well, as I’ve said on Truckersworld too I got so fed up with the treatment I got while delievering to Tesco in Purfleet, which makes you sit on two planks of wood for 3 hours each time you visit their site, that I contacted the Health & Safety at Work department for Thurrock Council and asked them to visit the site to make an evaluation whether this was reasonable working conditions for visiting drivers. I also pointed out that it should be taken into consideration that we leave the site tired and with sore backs, going back on the roads in a state where we probably shouldn’t be driving considering the safety of others etc etc etc…
Each of us have the option of reporting these sites when we feel they do not cater for our Health and Safety. They do have responsibilities to us, even though we are " just" visiting drivers.
I can only encourage every one of you affected by these things to get off your **** and make an official complaint to the council for the sites you’re unhappy with. When we make official complaints about a work place the councils have to look into things.
costco at lutterworth have wheel grabs on there bay and you still have to go and stand next to the bay whilst your vehicle is being unloaded and then go and sit at the table and await your paperwork.
they do supplie a drinks machine but you have to pay for it
david1686:
Are Tesco just blatantly lying about the rest areas and hoping they’ll get away with it , or have I been missing something Maybe they’ve set up the rest areas in the last few days ?
Note they didn’t give any details of the rest areas so as long as there’s at least one seat, that counts.
david1686:
And while we re on subject of safety, how safe is it for drivers to walk from truck to goods in office dodging vehicles reversing onto bays ( unsupervised , no banksman ) and speeding lunatic shunter drivers
Hmm. I feel an opportunity to throw a spanner in the works. Simply park up in the middle of the yard and refuse to reverse ANYWHERE, including into a parking bay, without a banksman.
david1686:
And while we re on subject of safety, how safe is it for drivers to walk from truck to goods in office dodging vehicles reversing onto bays ( unsupervised , no banksman ) and speeding lunatic shunter drivers
Hmm. I feel an opportunity to throw a spanner in the works. Simply park up in the middle of the yard and refuse to reverse ANYWHERE, including into a parking bay, without a banksman.
This my fav bench at Purfleet. Imagine sitting there for 3 hours !!!
Also the window sill sticks out so that when you try to lean back against the wall you get a hard piece of wood in the back of your head. Fantastic design !
Do I need to mention that the other drivers sitting there was just as grumpy as I were ?
Owens_girl:
This my fav bench at Purfleet. Imagine sitting there for 3 hours !!!
Methinks I need to go to Purfleet. Can’t sit on those seats - medical reasons. Same as stripping down loads at Safeway. Made a manager look a right ■■■ in front of his staff who were actually being helpful at the time until he butted in. Said I was lying until I showed him my ■■■■■■■ badge and the 9" scar down my spine.
What a load of rubbish. They are not ensuring safety at all. They are denying or ignoring drivers Health and Safety though. Just what gives them the right to stipulate that drivers are banned from their own trucks, which does not make it at all safe. And why are they not supplying suitable equipment to secure the trailer to the bay ■■ Then they can say they are making things safe and complying with Health and Safety. 
Maybe they’ve set up the rest areas in the last few days ?
