Correct, this has become an 'epidemic' at least from my perspective. Though there is more then one cause of this from what I have witnessed. One is proper training, not just on the employee level but from corporate level as well. Our, meaning the company, haz-mat test was a short video and a 25 or so multiple choice test. Which was open to discussion. I have seen people hired with no experience at driving a forklift get about a weeks worth of training, sometimes less, before being sent on their own. Mind you this is for the dockworkers who are handling and loading the freight. Just think of what a driver has to go through to get his/her haz-mat endorsement. Scary.
Secondly, the correct material for loading shipments securely is just not available. Load bars, straps, plywood, cardboard, and 2x4's should be in abundance for properly secured loads. It is very frustrating when you have to search the entire dock to find even one strap or load bar that works and come up empty. I know that these things cost money but as a manager once told me, a $7 dollar piece of plywood could save the company several thousand. Now that's trucking 101.
Third, there seems to me at least a lack of supervision of haz-mat shipments. Perhaps it is best that someone take a moment to make sure they are loaded properly and sign off on them, to show they are secured.
One last thing I find rather frightening is the managements and company's response on hazardous spills. Most of the time it is put oil dry down to soak it up if it's a liquid or sweep it up if it's not and throw it away. No recommendation on safe handling procedures for clean up and proper disposal or anything. Put the leaking container in OSD and someone else will handle it. There is sits for days, sometimes still leaking or perhaps thrown into an OSD trailer to be forgotten. As I was once told, we (the terminal) are not allowed to keep recovery drums on hand for just in case purposes but have to order them as needed?!?!
I see why that with this kind of attitude why we as a company get so many DOT violations for loads and over-weights.
