if they want me to placard a trailer i will i used to do it all the time.......however i am a leadman and top scale.....it is hard for me to imagine a parttime worker who shouldnt even be in the yard making 10 bucks an hour taking on that responsibility. and he shouldnt have to.
TForce | road drivers are not to placard trailers
- Thread starter Overnite
- Start date
mossbackman
TB Lurker
- Credits
- 0
I know what been said about sups passing on the responsibility, but it's not the dockworkers responsibility to know it's the sups, according to the memo.
And in the end it's the driver's. In california if you have the wrong plaqards on a trailer, it can be a 25,000.00 fine and a felony. At lax we had a driver get nailed at a scale and that was the initial charge, the company went to bat and paid the fine and got it dropped to a lesser charge.
The DOT wants it RIGHT and they'll spank you hard if it's not.
I will clean this image up later tonight.
You're the man Overnite. Clean it up I want to post it at my terminal.
Is there a date on it?
At Clt we were told that the trailers ,even empty ,can have placards on them as long as they are touching the dock.They told me as long as the trailers are touching the dock they are an extension of the dock.Makes no sense to me.If they are going to pay me then I write down in my little UNION calendar that it took me so many minutes to flip placards.COVER YOUR A$$ when it comes down to extra time on yard.
BusterNite
TB Legend
- Credits
- 18
I don't know what line of order the dock workers use for placarding but I would think it would be the supervisors job to inform the dock worker which placards are required to use. The company has a system wide computer program that tells the supervisor/dispatcher which placards are required after all the bills for a loaded trailer has been scanned.
when the last skid is placed in the trailer that is when the dockworker is done with that trailer it is then the supervisors responsibility.
All right guys. Here is my take on DOT regs. Haz-mat goes on a trailer....flip-em right now! If that trailer is going to sit at the dock all weekend and there is a fire at the terminal while it is dark, then who should have placarded that load? The linehaul driver? Not! It would be the dock man or supervisor. DOT says if Haz-mat goes onto a trailer...You placard NOW!! Not when the road driver pulls it away from the dock 2 days later! Get over it! As a road driver I will make it right before I hit the highway but it is not my job. I am just covering someone elses arse!
BusterNite
TB Legend
- Credits
- 18
All right guys. Here is my take on DOT regs. Haz-mat goes on a trailer....flip-em right now! If that trailer is going to sit at the dock all weekend and there is a fire at the terminal while it is dark, then who should have placarded that load? The linehaul driver? Not! It would be the dock man or supervisor. DOT says if Haz-mat goes onto a trailer...You placard NOW!! Not when the road driver pulls it away from the dock 2 days later! Get over it! As a road driver I will make it right before I hit the highway but it is not my job. I am just covering someone elses arse!
WoW!! I had this similar argument with management at the NBR terminal. Many arguments regarding placarding. The Terminal Manager told me that they did not have to placard any trailers as long as they were on company property. I told him that there would be a different out come if there was ever a fire and a trailer loaded with hazmat blew up and caused injury or death to someone or a firefighter because they were unaware of hazmat on a trailer. Nothing has changed.
Well according to law that is the way it is supposed to be.. I held off commenting on this one as long as I could. I couldn't take it anymore!!!!
- Credits
- 353
I was told the last guy to put the Haz-Mat in the trailer is the one who placards. (Either driver combo or dockworker)
Supervisor double checks prior to closing out load.
Driver triple checks prior to leaving terminal.
Another case of not being on the same page.
BusterNite
TB Legend
- Credits
- 18
I also told him this was the law, although I am not familiar with NY hazmat laws. Again the TM stood by what he said and nothing has changed. I would think that as soon as the trailer is closed out and moved from the dock law would require it to be placarded in any state.
BusterNite
TB Legend
- Credits
- 18
I was told the last guy to put the Haz-Mat in the trailer is the one who placards. (Either driver combo or dockworker)
Supervisor double checks prior to closing out load.
Driver triple checks prior to leaving terminal.
Another case of not being on the same page.
It would not make sense to placard a trailer until it is closed out because more hazmat shipments could be added and this could change the type's of placards being used.
I worked for a co. before Holland and rule of thumb was... You put hazmat on, you placard! If there was already hazmat on then find out what it is and placard accordingly.
- Credits
- 353
Same here.
Regarding placarding, It was always a priority to convey what Haz-Mat was in that trailer at all times, if something should happen that required emergency response. (Forklift accident, trailer nose dived etc.)
The rules for hazardous materials are clear and unwavering. The placards remain on the transport vehicle until there is no longer a placardable amount of hazardous materials on the transport vehicle......PERIOD! These rules have nothing to do with accidents on, or off public property.
As an example, a national chemical company at their world headquarters in Midland Michigan used to do just as you are suggesting, that is, removing the placards off trailers and railroad cars on their private property while still loaded. There were 4 of us that day about 17 or 18 years ago (at that time there were about 64 of us nationwide and traveled quite extensively) that were inspecting the plant and corporate offices (as federal DOT officers we legally inspected not only railroads, airlines, river barges, motor carriers and their driver's, but consignors (shippers) and consignees (receivers) of hazardous materials as well). After our inspection of their facility (which took almost 5 full days days because of its' size), we issued a civil penalty (fine) of over $225,000.00 just for the non-placarding of the transport vehicles (a simple definition of transport vehicle is anything used to transport hazardous materials). There were other fines as well but I show this one only to rebut your statement.
If the customer wants you to take the placards off before they're supposed to be removed you should tell them that it is not proper and/or legal to do so until there is no longer a placardable amount in your trailer. You and the consignee may both be held responsible, and both may be subsequently issued federal civil penalties if caught. Some state officers also have the same legal rights as we federal officials as well, depending on how that individual states laws are written (TX, NC, and OH come to mind immediately). It would more than likely be issued to you first because under the hazardous materials rules you are responsible for the contents of the transport vehicle (trailer) until it has been unloaded. I would also suggest that this consignee does not know the rules very well if they ask you to remove the placards before backing into their dock. I would suggest that they, and you read 49 C.F.R. parts 172.500 through 172.560.
I can therefore assure you sir, that "THE DOT" does care what happens on private property because the hazard still exists in that trailer until the hazard has been removed. Federal officials would not only inspect you on private property, but the warehouse as well. That is not only DOT rules, but OSHA rules as well.
tHIS IS NOT MY WORDS BUT STATES WHAT i KNOW IS TRUE! i WILL KEEP RESEARCHING THIS TO FIND THE ACTUAL LAWS THAT APPLY TO THIS!
As an example, a national chemical company at their world headquarters in Midland Michigan used to do just as you are suggesting, that is, removing the placards off trailers and railroad cars on their private property while still loaded. There were 4 of us that day about 17 or 18 years ago (at that time there were about 64 of us nationwide and traveled quite extensively) that were inspecting the plant and corporate offices (as federal DOT officers we legally inspected not only railroads, airlines, river barges, motor carriers and their driver's, but consignors (shippers) and consignees (receivers) of hazardous materials as well). After our inspection of their facility (which took almost 5 full days days because of its' size), we issued a civil penalty (fine) of over $225,000.00 just for the non-placarding of the transport vehicles (a simple definition of transport vehicle is anything used to transport hazardous materials). There were other fines as well but I show this one only to rebut your statement.
If the customer wants you to take the placards off before they're supposed to be removed you should tell them that it is not proper and/or legal to do so until there is no longer a placardable amount in your trailer. You and the consignee may both be held responsible, and both may be subsequently issued federal civil penalties if caught. Some state officers also have the same legal rights as we federal officials as well, depending on how that individual states laws are written (TX, NC, and OH come to mind immediately). It would more than likely be issued to you first because under the hazardous materials rules you are responsible for the contents of the transport vehicle (trailer) until it has been unloaded. I would also suggest that this consignee does not know the rules very well if they ask you to remove the placards before backing into their dock. I would suggest that they, and you read 49 C.F.R. parts 172.500 through 172.560.
I can therefore assure you sir, that "THE DOT" does care what happens on private property because the hazard still exists in that trailer until the hazard has been removed. Federal officials would not only inspect you on private property, but the warehouse as well. That is not only DOT rules, but OSHA rules as well.
tHIS IS NOT MY WORDS BUT STATES WHAT i KNOW IS TRUE! i WILL KEEP RESEARCHING THIS TO FIND THE ACTUAL LAWS THAT APPLY TO THIS!
- Credits
- 353
I just read that exact story from another forum.
I searched the FMCSA and couldn't find who was ultimately responsible.
Subpart F—Placarding
§172.500 Applicability of placarding requirements.
I searched the FMCSA and couldn't find who was ultimately responsible.
Subpart F—Placarding
§172.500 Applicability of placarding requirements.
BusterNite
TB Legend
- Credits
- 18
I am 100% for following the rules of loading hazmat and proper placarding laws. Now to get management to agree is a different story. I do not work the dock but I can assure you that when I leave a terminal my paper work and placards are in order and this usually takes me extra time on the clock and it takes me as long as it takes me to have my unit with in the laws. I really wish that this company would take hazmat more seriously, unfortunately I think its going to take a tragedy on company property to wake someone up.
Dot and OSHA are realizing that this is a big money maker and making there rounds to the trucking companies where I live! Better have placards on at the dock!!! Mark my words, Ive seen it first hand!:smilie_132: