As the title says, who’s job is it to check the load or pallets are the correct ones that match the notes given to you to deliver please?
Is it the driver , the fork lift driver who loads you, the supervisor , or the shift manager , who’s responsible for making sure the quantity of pallets is correct, & on mixed loads to various places, & that nothing has been left behind ?
The paperwork is usually in an allocated pigeon hole to collect for the trip. Now the goal post has suddenly moved!! I’m not sure if somebody is pulling a fast one or trying to pass the buck !! Answere gratefully received please .
I would check if I got the correc5 trailer I was taking, then check paper work and just have a quick look inside back doors, if looked ok on last pallets then all good, I have done my best,
I would say it would then be down to who loaded trailer, it is there responsibility to load trailer with correct pallets,
If you loaded it then you know what’s on it, if you didn’t it’s not your fault…
But that’s my opinion I might be wrong…
All you can do is guesstimate if it’s pre loaded how are you to know.
Much like curry’s. Pick up trailer check seal nnumber all tallys with your bits of paper tally ho, get to Redruth empty trailer not my fault all my documents say yes
zorg2006:
I would check if I got the correc5 trailer I was taking, then check paper work and just have a quick look inside back doors, if looked ok on last pallets then all good, I have done my best,
I would say it would then be down to who loaded trailer, it is there responsibility to load trailer with correct pallets,
If you loaded it then you know what’s on it, if you didn’t it’s not your fault…
But that’s my opinion I might be wrong…
Thanks for your reply zorg , getting the correct tractor and trailer is not a problem, I could be wrong but would have thought it to be the loader, as they would know what is to go on .
The night supervisor/manager who also loads the trailers , now says it’s the drivers responsibility to check every pallet matches the paperwork, some pallets are coming in the yard late & being forgotten ( not loaded, I’m wondering if he’s passing the buck for someone else to get the blame.
All you can do is guesstimate if it’s pre loaded how are you to know.
Much like curry’s. Pick up trailer check seal nnumber all tallys with your bits of paper tally ho, get to Redruth empty trailer not my fault all my documents say yes
Thanks for your reply nick, sometimes it is pre loaded , and ready to roll. If they have loaded the trailer they must surely have a list of what to put on, & they forget a pallet or so because it is late coming into the yard .
The paper work is already in an allocated place to grab & take with you for that particular load. Now they want all pallets checked that they are on & all tally with the list , saying the driver has to do this .
zorg2006:
I would check if I got the correc5 trailer I was taking, then check paper work and just have a quick look inside back doors, if looked ok on last pallets then all good, I have done my best,
I would say it would then be down to who loaded trailer, it is there responsibility to load trailer with correct pallets,
If you loaded it then you know what’s on it, if you didn’t it’s not your fault…
But that’s my opinion I might be wrong…
Thanks for your reply zorg , getting the correct tractor and trailer is not a problem, I could be wrong but would have thought it to be the loader, as they would know what is to go on .
The night supervisor/manager who also loads the trailers , now says it’s the drivers responsibility to check every pallet matches the paperwork, some pallets are coming in the yard late & being forgotten ( not loaded, I’m wondering if he’s passing the buck for someone else to get the blame.
Umm if that’s the case then you might as well load the trailer yourself… I don’t agree with what you being told, I reckon he is passing blame,
Think you need to take it up with your boss, I would not put up with that, to much to do already, let alone do someone else’s job,
Again not your problem if you not loading, it should be supervisor I reckon
It depends entirely on your companies policy. At the end of the day if they want you to check your paperwork, then do the best you can with it.
Realistically I think in your line of work the best that could be expected of you is to count the total number of pallets and check that matches your paperwork.
If your trailer is pre loaded, curtains closed, and sealed. Then what can you do? Check trailer number and that’s about it!
Anything else is the offices problem to sort out. Sounds like some buck passing as someone has ■■■■■■ up, and trying to blame you.
Personally if someone loaded a trailer for me I would check it before settling off for my own peace of mind, depending on what you are carrying you could fall under the ADR regs and the fine will land at the drivers door if you are plated incorrectly.
If you are loading a supermarket delivery I guess it’s slightly different as you rely on the shunted and the office to get the trailer number right, but as always the driver will end up with the blame but if I was you I would ask to see your training file to confirm that you were aware of policy and procedure.
Take as long as you need and play them at their own game, it’ll probably take you an hour to check the load is correct, while you’re doing that you’re doing nothing else, just make sure you note it on your ‘‘debrief’’ sheet or whatever fancy MI5 type term they want to apply to timesheet.
Depending on situation: if loaded and sealed it would be the responsibility of the warehouse foreman.
If pre-loaded but you still have full access to the load to strap up, or if they load you while you supervise the loading than the driver.
It’s your job, on many places you sign for the load cover your back-side and check, don’t accept wrong loads, wrong pallets etc.
you get paid to check, it’s part of the job!
When you do Multi-drop it’s even more important, because a wrong pallet between your load, or loaded in the wrong sequence means that you have a long hard day, dragging pallets backwards and forwards.
I would be even more aware if it where pallets that late arrive in the yard, as in the rush you could have the wrong pallet.
Drivers nowadays want to be taken for full, want to be respected, but checking a load, or paperwork is all too much, why?
I had drivers phoning me from 200 mile away, halfway through the journey to tell me that the quality certificate doesn’t add up with the delivery note, why do you check halfway through the journey, and not when you collect your load■■?
Take ownership, be professional, check loads, paperwork like you check your pay on the end of the month, and make that grade up from steeringwheel attendant to driver!!
zorg2006:
I would check if I got the correc5 trailer I was taking, then check paper work and just have a quick look inside back doors, if looked ok on last pallets then all good, I have done my best,
I would say it would then be down to who loaded trailer, it is there responsibility to load trailer with correct pallets,
If you loaded it then you know what’s on it, if you didn’t it’s not your fault…
But that’s my opinion I might be wrong…
Thanks for your reply zorg , getting the correct tractor and trailer is not a problem, I could be wrong but would have thought it to be the loader, as they would know what is to go on .
The night supervisor/manager who also loads the trailers , now says it’s the drivers responsibility to check every pallet matches the paperwork, some pallets are coming in the yard late & being forgotten ( not loaded, I’m wondering if he’s passing the buck for someone else to get the blame.
Umm if that’s the case then you might as well load the trailer yourself… I don’t agree with what you being told, I reckon he is passing blame,
Think you need to take it up with your boss, I would not put up with that, to much to do already, let alone do someone else’s job,
Again not your problem if you not loading, it should be supervisor I reckon
Useless [zb],
I can open the curtains, check its strapped down etc, & strap the curtains down. I shall take it up with the boss , & the more I think about it , I’m sure this supervisor / manager is trying to pass the buck!!
i would say its a mix of all of you to different extents, if its pre loaded as others have said quick check the last couple are ok would be enough for me, if they are loading you and being dicks I would be saying drop pallet, let me check,tick it off ok put it there.
no doubt they will get hacked off quite quick with this.
insist on openi g the trailer. Better if sealed, get a manager out to witnes and re-seal. Check every pallet in detail. Ask for pallets that can not be easily checked from the ground to be lifted off with a forklift.
We did this once when we were getting the blame for trailer damages when we were shunting trailers around the yard. No problem. We started doing a full trailer walk around inspection every time we dropped and picked up a trailer. Every scratch to be confirmed and signed for by a manager. Took two nights before they gave in…
F-reds:
It depends entirely on your companies policy. At the end of the day if they want you to check your paperwork, then do the best you can with it.
Realistically I think in your line of work the best that could be expected of you is to count the total number of pallets and check that matches your paperwork.
If your trailer is pre loaded, curtains closed, and sealed. Then what can you do? Check trailer number and that’s about it!
Anything else is the offices problem to sort out. Sounds like some buck passing as someone has [zb] up, and trying to blame you.
Thanks for your reply f-reds, I am limited to what I can check, but like you say counting the pallets & comparing to the paperwork is about it . Oddly this guy said a couple or so pallets were left unloaded last week, &I even had to turn round on anther occasion and wait somewhere for them to bring me a pallet out that they missed loading!!.
Depends whether you have to sign for the load as all present and correct. Also depends if preloaded if it is on a curtainsider or a box. If the latter and they are demanding that the driver takes responsibility for the presence of everything, then I would be insisting that they take it all off again so that I can check it.
Richard R:
Personally if someone loaded a trailer for me I would check it before settling off for my own peace of mind, depending on what you are carrying you could fall under the ADR regs and the fine will land at the drivers door if you are plated incorrectly.
If you are loading a supermarket delivery I guess it’s slightly different as you rely on the shunted and the office to get the trailer number right, but as always the driver will end up with the blame but if I was you I would ask to see your training file to confirm that you were aware of policy and procedure.
Thanks for your reply Richard, I can do the trailer checks to make sure all is strapped down , & if it’s ADR , I double check everything! . Thanks for mentioning the ADR .
As for training file away from Adr , I haven’t seen one .
kjw21:
Re. ADR - if a firm puts haz cargo on a non ADR driver and doesn’t inform them the responsibility lies with the company NOT the driver.
It boils down to simply if you haven’t done an ADR course how can you technically know what’s hazardous and the rules/regs regarding it.
Thanks for your reply kjw, I have Adr & do this quite regularly, however it’s a good point for someone to think about if they are in a similar situation & don’t have Adr.
Juddian:
Take as long as you need and play them at their own game, it’ll probably take you an hour to check the load is correct, while you’re doing that you’re doing nothing else, just make sure you note it on your ‘‘debrief’’ sheet or whatever fancy MI5 type term they want to apply to timesheet.
Hi ,Thanks for your reply Juddian, I will try & make sure it’s the best I can do, & that’s a good idea to make a note of it as well.
At our place I’m preloaded before I get into work. But no strapping done so I check that I’ve got correct number of pallets for each drop as I secure them but that’s all I check. I don’t check every pallet for actual contents as far as I’m concerned that’s the warehouses job.
I did take a wrong pallet to a place yesterday but to be fair bossman says it’s not my job to check warehouse lot got the rollocking. They tried to moan at me when I got back but just ignored them and said I deliver what you put on. If pallet counts correct then not my issue its yours.
Just a note - when I say count pallets I don’t just do a number count I do check the counts for each address, but not the contents. Don’t have time for that as I’d miss half my timed drops
not my fault all my documents say yes 
