Had a good experienced driver take out a overhead power line the other day. Was not rushed, in a hurry. Had all the time in the world to get out and look, He was just not paying attention. What are all you're guys's policies on recklessness/stupidity like this?
How many good experienced drivers have you got to replace him if you do fire him ? Everybody makes mistakes and your bull sh##ing if you say you don't....last comment not aimed at anyone just a general comment....was he needing to look at other obstacles in his way? Was he distracted by some hot chicky babe wandering past? Lots of things out there to take your mind off the job. Note: these are just my thoughts without knowing the details.
The more experienced I get, the less I am able to condemn my staff for their stupidity because I am constantly reminded of my own... ointhead
Yair . . . DiamondLTruckin . I think you can be pretty sure he never took it out by choice . . . and the chances are he is never going to do it again . . . your call. Cheers.
I have seen trucks and equipment take out power lines, and semi trailer trucks (several of them) rolled over due to operator error. Like Scrub Puller said it is not likely that they will do it again. Now if you fire the person and replace him or her with a new driver that has never had an accident like that ,it would seem to me that the likely-hood of the new replacement doing the same thing has a greater chance of it happening again. The attitude and work ethic of the person involved should enter into the decision also. Out of all those accidents I saw, or were working with on the same site, only two of them were fired.
did you send the driver for a drug test? that's the first thing that usually happens!! depending on results is the answer. then if negative you can think if he stays or not!!! that's the way it works on every jobsite iv been on anyway
First question, how did the driver handle the situation, take full responsibilty for the screw up, blame someone else, try to figure out how not to confess it or laugh it off, then go from there on how to handle the situation.
He should be fired immediately as he can be panic for those who drive safely and keep the rules obeyed. Not punishing him can demoralize the others who really work honestly.
Anna really? If the driver gets along with the other employees firing this one can destroy moral. In part cause they loose a work buddy and because they can see themselves making an honest mistake and getting canned too. To the OP, as others have ask, distracted? Drug test? Accepted responsibility? Rick
a lot could be from not paying attention and many times this isn't really the case.. I owned and operated long haul for 18 years, One time in Detroit I backed down a long alleyway, took down an electric line between the buildings,, I honestly didn't see it when I looked first. Anyway, after unloading a DEC 10 system, which takes about 6 hours,,, The electric company came back and replaced the wire in the exact same spot, I took it down again on the way out,, The owners of the building threatened to sue and all sorts of jirations,, When the electric company came back I asked why they didn't follow laws that dictate the wires at sag point be at least 13.8 inches off the ground,, The building owners then finally backed down,, THey had never had a delivery prior to me much bigger than a one ton truck.. I assume the wiring was brought to code,.. SO a lot of reasons can happen in taking down wires,, Something I wouldn't fire a guy over unless problems start happening one after the other,
Was he being banked by a banks person. Main thing was anyone injured or killed. They who say they have never had an mishap, mistake or accident are either lying or never done a days works in there life. Mani think he live's to tell the tale. Friend of mine knows someone who didn't.
Anna isn't who she says she is and won't be bothering us anymore.
Kinda suspected as much. Thanks Steve.
Agreed. If he raised his hand and took responsibility for it and had a good prior safety record then that should should all count in his favour. On the other hand weaselling and/or trying to blame someone else would result in an immediate spearing if he worked for me.
What is your company policy on such things? if it is automatic dismissal and he is a great operator. Put him in the truck explain that you value him as a person and employee but he knows the rules and that you must let him go. Add that you will also give him a good job recommendation when and where he chooses. If you will hire him back in a year or 6 months tell him so. Just my 2 cents....
Everydriver screws up sooner or later. Just a fact. The longer you drive,the more truck and driver unfriendly places you go. I took down a power line in a small town because cop directed me to use a side street. State highway/main street closed for school parade in middle of the afternoon. No advance warning of any kind. My opinion no city or town should allowed to close the state highway main street through town for such things. Hit power line at small town fuel stop. Line to low going going across lot. In 22 years of trucking I have hit my share of tree limbs too. I have also had to truck down county roads and farm roads not fit to use for a pick up or average size farm tractor. I have also been on log yards and job sites where the only way to get 18 wheel truck and trailer in or out was to be pulled or pushed by a large piece of equipment. If he has been with you for a long time and has a good record I would say give a break. To quote an old saying hiring new people is like digging in a barrel of apples, the deeper you dig the more bad ones you find.
These things happen, but if he owned up to it and he's a good driver he will be more careful in future. If you sack him your other drivers will try and cover up any problems to avoid being sacked and that usually leads to a worse situation in the long run. Graham
This mentality absolutely makes me want to defecate on these " holier than thou" employers. To assume that one must be on drugs in the event of any mishap / accident before any of the facts are known is complete crap. When all else fails, a pee test will surely point out the guilty one.....right? Once upon a time, men handled their business issues like men. Face to face, eye to eye with a mans word and a hand shake. Today, most men (employers) lack the testicular fortitude to handle things like a man. Instead, they use the "drug test" method to fire someone without having to facing them (like a man).
Accidents happen, I have had my share. I think having safety talks once in a while is a plus to remind everyone to value life,limbs and property's.
Well, on the drug test thing it is a DOT regulation I believe, if it happened on a public road. The employer has to do one but I could be mistaken, not going to take the time to look it up right now. One attitude I have come to hate is all accidents can be prevented; this to me has started to become the norm when talking about safety. All accidents cannot be prevented; I believe they can be minimized and reduced. I hate when something happens and people want to do a accident cause analysis’. To me this started out as a good thing, it started out as a way to prevent accidents. Now it is a way to pin point who to blame and fire them or initiate disciplinary action. Back to the topic, to me this is a personal decision based on your employee’s performance and work ethic. There is not a one size fits all when dealing with this kind of thing. From what I can gather I would not fire him, especially if he owned up to his mistake. He needs to realize what he did and what the consequences could have been. If there is not a pattern of this kind of behavior then he should not receive any kind of action against him. At worst he should be put on probation or something along those lines but I wouldn't even do that if he is a good employee.
roll over pete, that's NOT how I meant that to be taken. yes that's the way it has always been the last 2 places I have worked, not that I condone doing drugs either!!! but stuff happens, I have rolled a truck on a country road (shoulder of road gave way safety guy confirmed this) but the first thing I got after "are you ok?" was you have to go for a drug test!! I was with that company for 5 years at that time & never had a accident.. was there for 6 more years after that, before I went out on my own still help them on their equipment
Not only that Pete, but what would we do without the ability to come on the internet and get a bunch of opinions on if a accident is a fire-able offence or not. 10-12 years ago I RIPPED the power lines OFF the local Ronald McDonald house in South Burlington VT. I called the boss on the spot and he was down there before I got back with the next load of stone(yes I left, the GC on site said that as long as the boss was coming I was good since I was hauling to the job all day). Boss just asked what happened, "I forgot to check "UP" before I raised the body", simple as that, the wire was put back on and I hauled to that job for 2 days straight, and since then I have NEVER hit another line. **** happens and I think that there is way too much ******** these days when something stupid happens. Stand up, take your knocks(or give them if you're the boss having to deal with it), then get your ass back to work, there's too much stuff to be done to worry about the small stuff.
A lot of time drug test is for insurance. We have been having lots of issues diving lately. In fact it has gotten so bad if you even bump into something your off for a drug test. Does the safety guy think we have a drug problem? No. He just wants to make it such a PITA if we hit something, that we start paying more attention.
Most of the time that's the case. GL, WC and Auto insurance carriers have a long list of requirements that must be met in order to cover claims and even write the policy in the first place. Without the ability to obtain "affordable" (none of the insurance is affordable but that's another issue.. ) a company is basically out of business. Now a days a GC or owner won't even consider hiring you if you don't have insurance, regardless of your qualifications. I am sure there are company's out there that use the pee test as an HR tool and that's not right either. I remember the days million dollar deals were done sitting around the table at the local diner with only a handshake, unfortunately those days are gone...
With any incident or accident, I'm required to send the involved person or persons in for a drug/pee test as deemed by insurance, otherwise they'll cancel my policy, not if but when they find out about it. As for being an excuse to fire someone, that drug test just might be what's used to help keep your job for a while longer, without it, the insurance company will deem he was drunk, on drugs or whatever and tell the owner that person goes down the road or else they'll cancell your policy, as they say speaking from experience on that issue, with a drug test at least I had an ability to argue with the insurance company on the employee's behalf, without it, he's history, that I can guarantee you.
I walked in on a fire or not to fire meeting once . They couldnt decide and asked me to tip the scale. I had only met the man once and used gut instinct on my decision. He still works for us and that was 16 years ago.
You said he was a good, experienced driver. Those guys are hard to find, I'd give him another chance if it was my call.
When I started work for the company I work for I did some dumb things that I did not think ahead and cost my boss money and I know he did not appreciate what happened but we worked through it and now I have worked there for 10.5 years and that's still how things are and never had to have a pee test other then to get DOT physical if you trust and have confidence in your employees why would you want to fire them at the drop of the hat? Now if this was the 2nd or 3rd offense and the relationship wasn't so good that mite be a different story!
As far as the drug testing goes that's normal today. Insurance mandates it most often. My SIL had a co worker who got in an accident. They picked him up, to him to the yard and told him he had to report for a drug test. He left and they haven't seen him sense, that was about 6years ago. Rick
my oh my,,,,,,,,,,,,,,so quick to find fault,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Anna, must be nice to be perfect
The FMCSR states if there is a death, injury or a disable unit, a drug screen shall be performed. Most insurance companies demands a drug screen post accidents. Even most states BWC gives discounts for a comprehensive drug screen processes. My employer even does drug screens on near misses. I attended a OSHA 1926 30 hour certification and it was said that 25 percent of industrial accidents are drug related. That is a pretty high incident rate. I personally have no problem with being drug tested on randoms (DOT regulation here) or post accidents. I dont pay for the screening and I am on the clock when I get screened. If you do drugs and you operate equipment impaired, there should be reprucusions for your actions upto and including discharge. I dont quite understand the "testcular fortidute to handle things like a man". What does that mean? There should be clear, concise policies and not the mentality of handling it like men. When it comes to drug addiction, I would never take a addicts word, particularly when he/she could cause some serious injuries and damage. Not all addicts are unemployed and "walking the streets" trying to score drugs. Regards