So Unite are striking against safety issues and better working conditions … so what is the outcome from all the panic buying? Extended working hours for tanker drivers. Genius.
Carryfast:
marsden:
One of the videos I use for fire safety training, the dangers of petrol vapors.
youtube.com/watch?v=XFoDeuU … re=relatedADR training for explosives.
Did you record that, Carryfast? Spotted myself in white trainers third bloke to left of chap in green top 
Was a good night
Squiddy:
Carryfast:
marsden:
One of the videos I use for fire safety training, the dangers of petrol vapors.
youtube.com/watch?v=XFoDeuU … re=relatedADR training for explosives.
Did you record that, Carryfast? Spotted myself in white trainers third bloke to left of chap in green top
Blimey what a coincidence.
No I didn’t get there this year but I often go there.It’s always one of the best laughs of the year.Elf and Safety or what. 
Right, my opinion on the absolute joke we get paid every week called ‘wages’ is simple.
Supply and demand.
When supply is low and demand is high, then you pay more for the supply
However, at present, supply is most definately much higher than demand, which means they can pay peanuts, get the best driver for those peanuts (he may not feel like doing the best job however for those peanuts) and get rid of people on a whim because they’re easily replaceable commodities
Now, if nobody took these jobs at these rates, the rates would go higher, but people will, not just British, so the jobs will get 1000’s of applicants for 1 job for £6.08 / hr, now, you can either do the job for the money, not do the job and keep looking round or retrain into something that pays more.
after a while you forget any danger concerns you had about the job, for me that’s not why your paid a good hourly rate.
Yes you have a responsibility to everyone around you during your working day, but if procedures are followed correctly by everyone then the day will be a good one.
At present we are highly trained, sometimes you think its too much / overkill but i’d guess thats why there are not that many incidents on the road. The advanced driving system we operate / taught is the Smiths System again you think wtf I can drive, but this really does make the individual a better driver.
But the money I believe is paid because jeeeees honestly we have to know our stuff. Loading procedures for terminals sometimes multiple terminals. Accuload systems vary… easy to make a mistake at anytime - loading of wrong product, ammount, overfill etc leading to yellow cards or bans from terminal very easily.
Discharge on site procedures, Petroleum Certificates which are a legal document that is filled in by the site, which leaves your part for delivery. Each pot ammount grade and recieving tank to signed when delivered.
Main checks recieving tank can take the ammount you are delivering to it ( once its let go you are committed ) Its the right Grade of fuel ( we take mixed loads most tankers have 6 pots ) And now that the companies will even give you gross misconduct for a same grade crossover for delivering the wrong pot to wrong recieving tank even if it fits.
Things that go wrong; obviously the worse and Instant dismisall which could even lead to a prosecution an Uncontained Crossover - its even happened drivers who have done the job for years, distraction fatigue who knows but procedures are there for a reason. No excuse will matter.
Contained crossover - long as you spot it and shut down everything, stopping customers drving off ( which has happened and led to a fatality, customer drove off on to motorway car cut out… )
excluding the above happens - 12 month written warning But this could still lead to a prosecution, Contaminating fuel is an enviromental issue, costs the oil companies a slice of there profits.
Overfill - not checking the ammounts of fuel you are delivering to recieving tank actually fits. This again happens when rushing / distracted or you Trust the Competent person who has filled out there side of the certificate not realising it wont fit.
Will lead to eventual spill on forecourt, any spill of 5litres or more site has to be closed and fire service called - 12 month written warning
Not checking all pots are empty at the end of delivery, good gaffer is always to work out what you are expecting at the end, then compare. Very easy to let the pot go and forget to pull the footvalve, if distracted etc you look back and sight glass is empty you think you delivered all product in tank. But all you have done is deliver product between plug in tank to the Api.
You then can drive back with a pot you think is empty, into terminal to load your next delivery… ESD Overfill of tanker - yellow / red card terminal
Possible Contamination of fuel, if loading different product in that pot
Or worse case senario, that pot only contained 2500 of super, and the next delivery requires 4000 litres of Deisel, lets say that pot could hold 7000 litres, away you go to next garage, text book delivery… by the time you get back to terminal there waiting for you, you have just put 6500 litres of contaminated fuel into a tank holding 70,000 litres of diesel 
Now uplifting that, replacing that and compensating the owner of the forecourt, and hoping not too may cars broke down and god forbid anyone was in an accident, it adds up to a whole lot of money - Instant dismissal and probable prosecution.
So far this year on our Contract in the Uk there have been to uncontained crossovers, not sure on figures for overfills, but it happens to the best. I am no where near that, but I did have an overfill last year. Was to put 6000 litres into my pot 5, mistake on paperwork, but when I did my check… Loading arm 1 to my pot 5 check Unleaded check - Fits into 5000 - Fail, I looked and didn’t register what I was looking at. Proceded to load 5 mins later all racks shut down and ESD was activated. Cue a day of being interrogated as if i’d killed someone, drug and alchaol test, statements. Then 3 months of investigations, whilst trying to continue doing the job trying not to beat myself up for foooking up. Outcome 12 month written warning. Which really puts the pressure on for 12months I can tell ya.
Your in that seat for as long as you can hold onto it, or you actually want it because its certainly not for everyone, but if they dont want you / like you they will get you out of it. So many things they can get you on and they will.
And then there are the good days, usually a long distance 1 hitter, very rare and you make the most of those days. My fave’s from Brum are Windermere, Pwelli,and Skeggy
To summarise there is a lot more to this Job than I ever realised before I eventually got in
waynedl:
Right, my opinion on the absolute joke we get paid every week called ‘wages’ is simple.Supply and demand.
When supply is low and demand is high, then you pay more for the supply
However, at present, supply is most definately much higher than demand, which means they can pay peanuts, get the best driver for those peanuts (he may not feel like doing the best job however for those peanuts) and get rid of people on a whim because they’re easily replaceable commodities
Now, if nobody took these jobs at these rates, the rates would go higher, but people will, not just British, so the jobs will get 1000’s of applicants for 1 job for £6.08 / hr, now, you can either do the job for the money, not do the job and keep looking round or retrain into something that pays more.
Firstly the reason as to why supply is more than demand is because of the policy of getting rid of most of our industries and importing stuff instead and using imported immigrant labour in competition with our own for what work remains.
However if everyone had taken your advice through history wages would still be where they were in real terms during the 1920’s and the country would have been poorer than Greece and Romania by now. 
wills:
after a while you forget any danger concerns you had about the job, for me that’s not why your paid a good hourly rate.Yes you have a responsibility to everyone around you during your working day, but if procedures are followed correctly by everyone then the day will be a good one.
At present we are highly trained, sometimes you think its too much / overkill but i’d guess thats why there are not that many incidents on the road. The advanced driving system we operate / taught is the Smiths System again you think wtf I can drive, but this really does make the individual a better driver.
But the money I believe is paid because jeeeees honestly we have to know our stuff. Loading procedures for terminals sometimes multiple terminals. Accuload systems vary… easy to make a mistake at anytime - loading of wrong product, ammount, overfill etc leading to yellow cards or bans from terminal very easily.
Discharge on site procedures, Petroleum Certificates which are a legal document that is filled in by the site, which leaves your part for delivery. Each pot ammount grade and recieving tank to signed when delivered.
Main checks recieving tank can take the ammount you are delivering to it ( once its let go you are committed ) Its the right Grade of fuel ( we take mixed loads most tankers have 6 pots ) And now that the companies will even give you gross misconduct for a same grade crossover for delivering the wrong pot to wrong recieving tank even if it fits.
Things that go wrong; obviously the worse and Instant dismisall which could even lead to a prosecution an Uncontained Crossover - its even happened drivers who have done the job for years, distraction fatigue who knows but procedures are there for a reason. No excuse will matter.
Contained crossover - long as you spot it and shut down everything, stopping customers drving off ( which has happened and led to a fatality, customer drove off on to motorway car cut out… )
excluding the above happens - 12 month written warning But this could still lead to a prosecution, Contaminating fuel is an enviromental issue, costs the oil companies a slice of there profits.Overfill - not checking the ammounts of fuel you are delivering to recieving tank actually fits. This again happens when rushing / distracted or you Trust the Competent person who has filled out there side of the certificate not realising it wont fit.
Will lead to eventual spill on forecourt, any spill of 5litres or more site has to be closed and fire service called - 12 month written warningNot checking all pots are empty at the end of delivery, good gaffer is always to work out what you are expecting at the end, then compare. Very easy to let the pot go and forget to pull the footvalve, if distracted etc you look back and sight glass is empty you think you delivered all product in tank. But all you have done is deliver product between plug in tank to the Api.
You then can drive back with a pot you think is empty, into terminal to load your next delivery… ESD Overfill of tanker - yellow / red card terminal
Possible Contamination of fuel, if loading different product in that pot
Or worse case senario, that pot only contained 2500 of super, and the next delivery requires 4000 litres of Deisel, lets say that pot could hold 7000 litres, away you go to next garage, text book delivery… by the time you get back to terminal there waiting for you, you have just put 6500 litres of contaminated fuel into a tank holding 70,000 litres of dieselSo far this year on our Contract in the Uk there have been to uncontained crossovers, not sure on figures for overfills, but it happens to the best. I am no where near that, but I did have an overfill last year. Was to put 6000 litres into my pot 5, mistake on paperwork, but when I did my check… Loading arm 1 to my pot 5 check Unleaded check - Fits into 5000 - Fail, I looked and didn’t register what I was looking at. Proceded to load 5 mins later all racks shut down and ESD was activated. Cue a day of being interrogated as if i’d killed someone, drug and alchaol test, statements. Then 3 months of investigations, whilst trying to continue doing the job trying not to beat myself up for foooking up. Outcome 12 month written warning. Which really puts the pressure on for 12months I can tell ya.
Your in that seat for as long as you can hold onto it, or you actually want it because its certainly not for everyone, but if they dont want you / like you they will get you out of it. So many things they can get you on and they will.
And then there are the good days, usually a long distance 1 hitter, very rare and you make the most of those days. My fave’s from Brum are Windermere, Pwelli,and Skeggy
To summarise there is a lot more to this Job than I ever realised before I eventually got in
Just one question are there many east european immigrant drivers doing or want the job 
.I’m betting not which says everything. 
Wills - ■■■■ on, but even a brain surgeon has procedures to follow.
Get over yourself
- 1
Wheel Nut:
Wills - ■■■■ on, but even a brain surgeon has procedures to follow.Get over yourself
i’ve never said anything like that, i’m just an ex squaddie who got a job i’m nothing special. Just tried to give an insight into the work thats all.
wills:
i’ve never said anything like that, i’m just an ex squaddie who got a job i’m nothing special. Just tried to give an insight into the work thats all.
Insight appreciated mate, far more than the bulldust your union’s put out so far. Thanks for that.
A lot of what you mentioned can happen in our job (animal feeds) but obviously with far less immediate impact. Can still have serious repercussions though, for example if genetically modified soya feed is put into the non-GM bin and it’s not spotted, could be very expensive for the company. But at the end of the day it’s not going to kill anyone. I can appreciate the overfills as well, wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had cattle cake raining down on me head after the farmer’s assured me that it’ll all go in the bin!
Having said that, surely if you’ve checked your dips properly beforehand this should minimise the risk?
So basically, what you’re saying is that you have to be on the ball at all times, and make sure you put the right amount of the right stuff in the right place; and if you don’t you get severely jumped on. That seems fair enough to me, same for many of us. I get paid less than two thirds of your wage to do the same thing.
Where I’m a wee bit baffled is the alleged threat of prosecution for contaminating fuel. If fuel spills into the environment through the driver’s carelessness then you’d expect him to end up in court; so would I if I spilled something toxic into a watercourse or similar. But are you seriously suggesting that a driver could be prosecuted in a criminal or civil court for putting diesel into a petrol tank or vice versa? Sorry, don’t buy that one. I accept that it would cost the company a fair bit for a ■■■■-out and refill, as it would with ours, but court? Did the company tell you that or did the union?
just a quicky reply to Gnasty Gnome before i hits the land of nod, yes you can be prosecuted for contaminating Fuel, I don’t know all the ins and outs of it but there can be severe penalties for doing so. Hopefully someone on here will know more than me about it, before I get back tomorrow Goodnight peeps.
wills:
after a while you forget any danger concerns you had about the job, for me that’s not why your paid a good hourly rate.Yes you have a responsibility to everyone around you during your working day, but if procedures are followed correctly by everyone then the day will be a good one.
At present we are highly trained, sometimes you think its too much / overkill but i’d guess thats why there are not that many incidents on the road. The advanced driving system we operate / taught is the Smiths System again you think wtf I can drive, but this really does make the individual a better driver.
But the money I believe is paid because jeeeees honestly we have to know our stuff. Loading procedures for terminals sometimes multiple terminals. Accuload systems vary… easy to make a mistake at anytime - loading of wrong product, ammount, overfill etc leading to yellow cards or bans from terminal very easily.
Discharge on site procedures, Petroleum Certificates which are a legal document that is filled in by the site, which leaves your part for delivery. Each pot ammount grade and recieving tank to signed when delivered.
Main checks recieving tank can take the ammount you are delivering to it ( once its let go you are committed ) Its the right Grade of fuel ( we take mixed loads most tankers have 6 pots ) And now that the companies will even give you gross misconduct for a same grade crossover for delivering the wrong pot to wrong recieving tank even if it fits.
Things that go wrong; obviously the worse and Instant dismisall which could even lead to a prosecution an Uncontained Crossover - its even happened drivers who have done the job for years, distraction fatigue who knows but procedures are there for a reason. No excuse will matter.
Contained crossover - long as you spot it and shut down everything, stopping customers drving off ( which has happened and led to a fatality, customer drove off on to motorway car cut out… )
excluding the above happens - 12 month written warning But this could still lead to a prosecution, Contaminating fuel is an enviromental issue, costs the oil companies a slice of there profits.Overfill - not checking the ammounts of fuel you are delivering to recieving tank actually fits. This again happens when rushing / distracted or you Trust the Competent person who has filled out there side of the certificate not realising it wont fit.
Will lead to eventual spill on forecourt, any spill of 5litres or more site has to be closed and fire service called - 12 month written warningNot checking all pots are empty at the end of delivery, good gaffer is always to work out what you are expecting at the end, then compare. Very easy to let the pot go and forget to pull the footvalve, if distracted etc you look back and sight glass is empty you think you delivered all product in tank. But all you have done is deliver product between plug in tank to the Api.
You then can drive back with a pot you think is empty, into terminal to load your next delivery… ESD Overfill of tanker - yellow / red card terminal
Possible Contamination of fuel, if loading different product in that pot
Or worse case senario, that pot only contained 2500 of super, and the next delivery requires 4000 litres of Deisel, lets say that pot could hold 7000 litres, away you go to next garage, text book delivery… by the time you get back to terminal there waiting for you, you have just put 6500 litres of contaminated fuel into a tank holding 70,000 litres of dieselSo far this year on our Contract in the Uk there have been to uncontained crossovers, not sure on figures for overfills, but it happens to the best. I am no where near that, but I did have an overfill last year. Was to put 6000 litres into my pot 5, mistake on paperwork, but when I did my check… Loading arm 1 to my pot 5 check Unleaded check - Fits into 5000 - Fail, I looked and didn’t register what I was looking at. Proceded to load 5 mins later all racks shut down and ESD was activated. Cue a day of being interrogated as if i’d killed someone, drug and alchaol test, statements. Then 3 months of investigations, whilst trying to continue doing the job trying not to beat myself up for foooking up. Outcome 12 month written warning. Which really puts the pressure on for 12months I can tell ya.
Your in that seat for as long as you can hold onto it, or you actually want it because its certainly not for everyone, but if they dont want you / like you they will get you out of it. So many things they can get you on and they will.
And then there are the good days, usually a long distance 1 hitter, very rare and you make the most of those days. My fave’s from Brum are Windermere, Pwelli,and Skeggy
To summarise there is a lot more to this Job than I ever realised before I eventually got in
Sorry mate, but sounds like a normal job to me, we can’t be dropping anything off anywhere, that’s why there’s paperwork
Birmingham to Windermere is a 1 hitter? Windermere is about 1/2 way through a multi drop day for most of us.
Seriously, congrats on getting the job and keeping it, but if you want to know what most people won’t want to do, it’s the hours.
From what I’ve seen, most fuel tankers run at ■■■■■■ hours and all days inc xmas day, wonder how many people would pull sicky’s etc because it was rota’d and not look at the bigger picture, I’ve known lads refuse 250 quid for xmas day easy runs because it’s xmas day, what would they be like if it fell on their rota?
wills:
after a while you forget any danger concerns you had about the job, for me that’s not why your paid a good hourly rate.Yes you have a responsibility to everyone around you during your working day, but if procedures are followed correctly by everyone then the day will be a good one…
Thanks for that Wills, that was the whole idea of the post really to see what it was all about, not just to be told that petrol is flammable
Tanker driver strike or not, getting fuel is a bit of a challenge. Had to visit 6 petrol stations in Chelmsford tonight to find some unleaded, when I found some it took 10 mins to pump 48 litres.
Totally agree, as I said I don’t think I am or the job is special, and the worse thing about it as I have said in other post is the hours… And that is really why the money gets so high. Especially when in our contract you can only book 5 working days off the rest of your H days you have to book in on your rest days which inflates it even more. Really tried in that post to give nothing more than what we actually do. As I said I didn’t know anything about it before I got in, and totally appreciate we all do jobs with procedures legalities and put up with BS gaffers and disciplineries. Which Gnasty Gnome has made me think the gaffers might have done with us over fuel contaminations.
Ps 1hit Windermere is because of drive time and we have to get back for change over , if we have a milk round the super unl we can get up to 6 deliveries wherever they maybe as long as we can get there and back in 12 hours.
wills:
Totally agree, as I said I don’t think I am or the job is special, and the worse thing about it as I have said in other post is the hours… And that is really why the money gets so high. Especially when in our contract you can only book 5 working days off the rest of your H days you have to book in on your rest days which inflates it even more. Really tried in that post to give nothing more than what we actually do. As I said I didn’t know anything about it before I got in, and totally appreciate we all do jobs with procedures legalities and put up with BS gaffers and disciplineries. Which Gnasty Gnome has made me think the gaffers might have done with us over fuel contaminations.
That ■■■■■, is that even legal?
waynedl:
wills:
Totally agree, as I said I don’t think I am or the job is special, and the worse thing about it as I have said in other post is the hours… And that is really why the money gets so high. Especially when in our contract you can only book 5 working days off the rest of your H days you have to book in on your rest days which inflates it even more. Really tried in that post to give nothing more than what we actually do. As I said I didn’t know anything about it before I got in, and totally appreciate we all do jobs with procedures legalities and put up with BS gaffers and disciplineries. Which Gnasty Gnome has made me think the gaffers might have done with us over fuel contaminations.That ■■■■■, is that even legal?
Firkin hate it and moaned non stop about it, but our great union must have accepted it
waynedl:
wills:
Totally agree, as I said I don’t think I am or the job is special, and the worse thing about it as I have said in other post is the hours… And that is really why the money gets so high. Especially when in our contract you can only book 5 working days off the rest of your H days you have to book in on your rest days which inflates it even more. Really tried in that post to give nothing more than what we actually do. As I said I didn’t know anything about it before I got in, and totally appreciate we all do jobs with procedures legalities and put up with BS gaffers and disciplineries. Which Gnasty Gnome has made me think the gaffers might have done with us over fuel contaminations.That ■■■■■, is that even legal?
Nothing to do with legality. It is about choice of extra days off