Started work with clothing retailer, and I am being chased with my load/unload times.
Usually we meant to do 3-4 shops in 1 or 2 runs. If I get 3 shops in a whole day (12hours) 1 run then nothing is said by shift manager as I fall within time planned.
But I do struggle (with shorter runs of 2 shops-back to base and do extra run) to load unload within 1 hour time allocated.
I Take 10 pallets off on a tail lift, then reload salvage back. It takes me an 1 1/2 hours on average, as I am not confident flying and spinning with pump track on a tail lift.
Most experienced drivers manage to do it under 1 hour, I figured out there must be a way to do it. Tried to search e-net, but can’t find any useful information.
If you are in the know, please share how it’s meant to be done as I’m on the final warning by the management…went out with their driver who checked me work on tail lift, and he didn’t see much of an issue with my speed at all (we had 3 shops in 1 run 12 hour day).
Not sure what to make of it…but I surely can’t be slower by 30 mins in one go (load - unload), I’m fit, able and end up always in river of sweat.
Speed comes with experience. Forced speed, especially when using a tail lift invariably results in visits to A&E!
I’d be tempted to politely invite the manager to accompany me because as a person in authority whom I respect I feel that his demonstration of how to quickly do the job would be invaluable to me, thank you very much.
If the manager refuses to bite then simply request in writing his concerns that you are not going fast enough.
Rushing will result in either you, the pallet or both falling off the back of the lorry.
As someone else has said tell him to put in writing that he wants you to go faster when unloading.
depends on the type and size of the tail lift. first job i had the vehicle i was given had a fold out type tail lift so first 20 mins was always spent trying to find a place that you could actualy get the bloody thing out from under the truck with out fouling the ground or body. on top of that it had a dip in the middle so the plaet always tried to run away from you andif you put the silly stops up because of the 2" depth of the tail lift you could bearly get a standerd pallet on it plus the pump truck so had to try and spin it while negotiating the dip. (i went through many many packets of pampers the first few weeks)
second vehicle i had at least had a collum lift so didnt have to faff about so much with geting it folded out. but the depth of the tail lift was still the same so had all the above issues with that.
Either truck you could only do 1 pallet at a time due to the size/depth of the taillift.
Obviously if you have one of those tail lifts that fill the back of the wagon thats big enough to hold a fullsize barn dance on then all i can say is speed will come with experience.
the other factor in all this is how long are you spending trying to perswade the goods in to take the stuff. And with all the returns that you need to bring back are they in a logical place/order or do you have to go hunting for them and then try and perswade a forklift driver to get them down off racking.
as already said get your manager to come out with you or get them to put it in writting that you have to unload x number of pallets in x amount of time.
I meant to sit down with shift managers to talk about my performance tommorow. But now, I’m looking for know-how* to see if I do things in a wrong or right way.
Naturally I can’t compete with best dogs on my first week but surely I am missing something.
Improve speed of loading - unloading. Practice practice and more practice.
Your pushy gaffer with the sucky attitude isn’t helping one bit. As moaster has said, ask the gaffer to show you himself how it’s done and get it in writing.
I reckon there’s a fair chance the place where you work has a high turn over of drivers and a ‘looking for drivers’ sticker on the back doors.
Me? Sod the practice, I’d be on the internet and my bicycle looking for another job.
It all comes with practice, you also need to build up your strength and muscle memory so that you can move the goods around quicker with confidence.
Don’t over do it and end up wasting more time picking stuff off the floor or trying to move pallets you’ve just broken.
It always helps to see an expert do it but ultimately its up to you to have the time to experiment with different techniques and then practice to see what works.
I used to do Muller Milk in an artic, and strength helped for sure, but above all it was technique which meant you didn’t get hurt and could move stuff around with confidence. I watched the other drivers sometimes, some could fit more trolleys on the tail lift than me- this always looked precarious to me, although you are only going down with weight on, and then make sure you take the empties on the way up, so the tail lift is always in use, not empty. I preferred speedy and less weight to slow and heavy. You are not supposed to stand on the tail lift as I remember, ummm, not sure about that one.
I don’t imagine you risk getting the can for just being slow, get them to show you what they would like, that is how a lot of people learn. Above all, don’t stress when you are working, just examine everything you do, to the amount you push, to how far you put the pump trucks under the pallet, and learn what works. Perhaps watch some youtube vids if there are any.
Another thought: is the lorry position screwing you up, are you on a tilt, too far away from the back door, taking too long to get yourself in position?
MrWhiteGlasses:
I meant to sit down with shift managers to talk about my performance tommorow. But now, I’m looking for know-how* to see if I do things in a wrong or right way.
Put pallets/cages on tail lift, drop to floor. Say you have 20 pallets/cages and you put four on each lift instead of five because you’re not happy stood on the edge of the tail lift trying to hang on, you’re only adding an extra 30 seconds to each drop as the tail lift will have to go up and down five times instead of four. You’re still going to have exactly the same ■■■■■■■■■■ amount of time you spend putting the pallets/cages onto the tail lift and taking them off, the only difference is the extra length of time taken for the tail lift to go up and down the fifth time.
As you get more and more used to using a pallet truck you’ll get faster at spinning them around and placing them on the tail lift and where you have to drop them, that’s the only area you can speed up in but as others have said you don’t do it to the point it’s dangerous.
yourhavingalarf:
Me? Sod the practice, I’d be on the internet and my bicycle looking for another job.
Me too, without a doubt. No rushing when it involves tail lifts and such. Maybe the quicker ones are doing it in an unsafe manner? youtube.com/watch?v=JewpWa5 … TubeLegacy
yourhavingalarf:
Me? Sod the practice, I’d be on the internet and my bicycle looking for another job.
Me too, without a doubt. No rushing when it involves tail lifts and such. Maybe the quicker ones are doing it in an unsafe manner? youtube.com/watch?v=JewpWa5 … TubeLegacy
That’s the very reason I don’t rush on a tail lift.
I can fit 2 pallets at once on a platform, and don’t struggle physically. Just trying to find out efficient way to match that speed other drivers do.
They can joke all they like, but I don’t think I do anything different. As I have been with regular driver for 3 days, and as said before…he didn’t see anything wrong with my loading.
Excuse me Boss i`m obviously doing something wrong,can you show how to do it or send me out with someone to highlight my fault.
Alternatively give me runs that I have been doing to your satisfaction,other than that I think I must consider my position with the company
NEVER rush or take risks it inevitably a sure way to injure yourself and end up in A&E
Another thought: is the lorry position screwing you up, are you on a tilt, too far away from the back door, taking too long to get yourself in position?
It took me a while before I thought about lowering the rear suspension so that it tilts down to the back door instead of pushing pallets uphill. [emoji848]
MrWhiteGlasses:
but surely I am missing something.
Either :
! - Your manager is lying about how long it takes other people to do it and uses this stick on everyone new to get them to go faster.
The others are doing it seriously unsafely and the company will disown them when it all goes wrong. Very bad position to be in especially if someone gets hurt inc you.
Ask them to demonstrate the official company technique (ala safe working practice) for unloading in the yard. They not got documents for this…oh dear. Just make them squirm!
Oh and try “I have a duty of care to the public to do the job safely”. They love that line except when its fired back at them.
Overall, don’t start worrying that it’s you. Sounds like a-hole management who have too few drivers so don’t pander to their must do it quicker wims. Never found any faster techniques at least not safely. Plenty of unsafe ones!
TBH if you are taking 1 1/2 hours to tip 10 pallets (2 at a time on the tail-lift) and reload a similar amount of salvage, something isn’t working quite right. You’re talking about 5 or so return trips on the tail-lift and even at a leisurely 10 minutes per up/down trip, plus a few minutes either end to open up/button up it’s still only an hour.
Difficult to say exactly what without seeing the entire process - what else is involved once you’ve got them to the ground?
I’d never work at a firm that puts pressure on me to load/unload quicker. I go at my own pace.
Heck I quite often stop for 10/20 mins at a time to chat with the guy unloading me or have a ■■■. I may well spend 20 minutes after I am done watching a youtube video lol.
The way I see it as long as the job gets done that is all that matters. If you are working for a firm that is monitoring you to see how they can increase tip times to get more loads out of you I would just find another firm.
