I got called a militant by the owner of the company I work for because I wouldn’t stand under a fully raised but unpropped tipper body.
The ABS sensors where throwing up lots of warnings so I was asked to wash all around the sensors, ABS rings and brake callipers, I said I’m not going under the body so the fitter jumped up on the chassis and did it.
This happened on two occasions in the same week, I refused to go under the body both times, I had worked at the company 3 years and they had never owned body props until I started refusing to go under the body.
The company owner was absolutely furious, got right in my face , called me a militant, said he’d heard I was leaving and said he’d see to it that I wouldn’t be able to get another job for slating his H&S.
A few other things were going off which I’d raised a concern about which I got slated for, One being the fitter using his new Milwaukee gun to tighten wheel nuts without knowing the torque, I contacted Milwaukee to get the specs as the fitter didn’t know them, found out he was doing the nuts up to 1627nm instead of 700nm, I spoke to the TM, asked him to have a word with the fitter (no way he’d listen to me), TM spoke to the director who spoke with the fitter and between them decided I was a jobsworth f*c%.
Firstly I personally wouldn’t gaf about the wheelnuts, that is their problem.
I also would not care what they label or call you.
As for the other thing, stand your ground and to hell with what the owner says, if it is potentially dangerous, then it’s your neck and your life, not his.
As for him getting agressive in your face about it, just remind him firmly you will not be talked to like that, then walk away.
I had a similar scenario a few weeks ago, my boss going off on one disproportionately at me, about me moving a trailer in the yard shouting and bawling…His face was a picture when I jumped out of the cab right at him…
In this day and age bosses should not be talking to employees like that, it’s like everything else in this job,.they only do what YOU allow them to get away with.
These guys sound like a pair of accidents waiting to happen: Unpropped body is a massive no-no, HSE would back you to the hilt on that any day of the week; over torquing… FFS, doesn’t either one know how this can damages the threads and the actual studs them selves?
I’d suggest you’re well off out of there, and as for him stopping you getting another job I bet he’s the kind of bloke who says “Don’t you know who I am?”
Over tighten a wheel stud and they can be very easy to undo…
Over tightening can lead to stretching the stud past it’s elastic limit and so it isn’t pulling the wheel onto the truck so much.
Even if it doesn’t snap the stud it can loosen off surprisingly quickly.
Once upon a time…
3 of us were changing a wheel on a Sunday morning, two of us were putting the dead one in the trailer and we left the third to just “crack up” the nuts. !990’s cone nuts. We shut the doors and saw Fred hanging off the end of approx 3 metres of scaffold pole! We loosened them off and did them again more “sensibly” but 3 studs had snapped within a 4 hrs drive, and there was still 7 hrs drive to the port.
So, an economic self wheel change turned into an expensive autoroute call out.
^^^^^
You should broaden your horizons mate.
An interest in football has introduced me to a lot of new friends over the years, by initially sparking off conversations…not to mention geting me tipped early on lots of occasions.
Also a good social life has beeen built around it.
A bit less highbrow and serious than the world of politics
@shortfatbaldman.
Just to get back on track,.as I said before, dont give a second thought to what those ■■■■ s csll you,.
The words ‘militant’ and ‘troublemaker’ are banded about far too freely by these types of pricks in the job.
The thing is nowadays they just automatically expect drivers to be servile yes men, which unfortunately a lot are .so anybody with an ounce of pride and self respect who stands up to them,.is branded in this way.
That does not mean to say you have to be a complete arrogant arse either.
In my own case I take no sh from anybody, in any walk of life, but if I am genuinely in the wrong,.especially with my firm and/or my boss,.I become Mr Humble,.from Humble st, Humbletown,.Co.Humble.
There lies the difference, so as I said stick to your guns, as in this particular case you are in the right,.and they are in the wrong.
I wouldn’t be over concerned about the milwaukee gun overtightening, that torque identifies it as 1/2" drive and 1627 nm is its maximum torque rating for anticlockwise rotation under ideal conditions. I have one of these and the battery will only ever reach that level when freshly charged and then manage to undo about four or five wheelnuts. I always have to tighten a further 1/4 to 1/2 turn to reach 650 + nm. I would be more concerned that they are not tight enough. As for the unpropped body the fitter and the operator are morons. I would be wondering what else is going on. Were you issued eye protection when using the steam cleaner?
It was the 3/4 drive gun, I think you’re right about it being the undo torque though, I never touched the steam cleaner mate, and no they didn’t bother with eye protection.
Yep, same here, no problem admitting it if I’m in the wrong but on these occasions I’m definitely not, I’ve got myself out of there, taking a week or two out to see what I want to do next, 17 years on 8 wheel tippers, don’t really want to start working for a living😂
Was the company owner also the TM? If so, he should already know the massive risks he’s taking with his dangerous attitude.
I’d imagine his name will at some point appear in the list of operators who gets a no-tea-no-biscuits-bring-your-own-KY invitation to see your area TC.
I bet he’s the kind of bloke who says “Don’t you know who I am?”
.so anybody with an ounce of pride and self respect who stands up to them,.is branded in this way.