Ever refused to do a run?

Ever refused to do a run?

Author
Discussion

Plastic chicken

Original Poster:

383 posts

211 months

Saturday 7th December 2013
quotequote all
As we all know, much of the country was battered by a storm this week, and sadly a driver died in Bathgate when his truck went over.
I was due to go to Perth & Dundee (badly affected) on the day in question, but my boss eventually saw sense & put me on a local run instead.

Has anybody refused to do a run on the grounds of their personal safety...and what were the consequences?

StuntmanMike

11,671 posts

158 months

Saturday 7th December 2013
quotequote all
No, only if there is something wrong with the truck.

TameScrapman

179 posts

132 months

Saturday 7th December 2013
quotequote all
Yep. Used to drive a FL10 curtainsider with a tail lift for a now gone groupage company. Catches on the tail lift were broken and it would randomly drop down. I abandoned my run, took the lorry back to the yard and told them it wasn't safe to drive. The 'mechanic' tied it up with some road and I was sent out again. "I can't fking drive that! What if it falls again and hits a car or worse, a pedestrian?". "Get back out there or don't bother coming in tomorrow". I think I lasted another week there before I found another job. Was a shocking place to work, every one of the lorries had something wrong with them. Even lost a wheel coming up the M2 one day. That was exciting lol.

smifffymoto

4,771 posts

212 months

Sunday 8th December 2013
quotequote all
I've refused loads on numerous occasions,usually due to bad loading or packing or having to be home for something.Bosses always threaten you with no job but if it went to tribunal you would hold all the cards.All planners think of is the delivery not repair costs,driver not in because of injury etc..
Most drivers just get on with the job and put up the st because that's the norm but it shouldn't have to be like that.
You are responsible for your own safety because in reality no body else gives a st,fact

Panda76

2,581 posts

157 months

Sunday 8th December 2013
quotequote all
Few times, but not because of health and safety more because they are taking the piss.
For example whilst on salaried pay being asked at 1 am to do a tip due at 6am to a rdc that's 45 minutes away..
Not happening,others might do it,but I won't/didn't.

hidetheelephants

27,839 posts

200 months

Sunday 8th December 2013
quotequote all
smifffymoto said:

You are responsible for your own safety because in reality no body else gives a st,fact and the law says so.
section 7 HASAWA 1974 said:
It shall be the duty of every employee while at work—

(a)to take reasonable care for the health and safety of himself and of other persons who may be affected by his acts or omissions at work;
If you know something's not right and it fks you or someone else up you bear some of the responsibility; no job's worth that. Whoever sent the truck driver who got killed in the storm out on a run is partly responsible for the death of an employee, but the driver bears responsibility too.

Edited by hidetheelephants on Sunday 8th December 12:28

chilistrucker

4,541 posts

158 months

Sunday 8th December 2013
quotequote all
has to be the phrase i've heard most over the years, 'driver responsibility.'
and it is, so if something is wrong with the truck, load, or job i'm being asked to do, i won't do it.
every traffic planner, guvnor, boss etc wants the job done, but if something goes wrong in any way, watch them all wash there hands of the situation as its, 'driver responsibility.'