Two week ago we took a van load to an open pit gold mine in Nevada that was just overwhelming in their requirements , not for security but for safety. It was located in the mountains 14 miles off the highway via rough gravel. When we finally reached the security office I was instructed that the front tires had to be parked in a ditch or the rear wheels chocked before entering the office. We watched a safety video then took a test based on the same. Following that we were issued an orange flag, a flashing strobe light and an orange cone, all to be mounted to the van roof. I had to change into long pants, wear a green vest, safety glasses, hard hat and safety shoe covers. We were then allowed to drive on to the receiving warehouse. We were required to toot our horn once and wait ten seconds before starting the engine. Toot the horn twice then wait ten seconds before driving forward and toot the horn three times then wait ten seconds before backing up. We were required to drive on the left side of the roads, UK style, unless the road was posted otherwise. Posted speed limits ranged from 12 1/2 MPH upward All in all it was interesting but the safety requirements were overwhelming while the security was seemingly nonexistent. Never had a load with such requirements until now.
A Real Gold Mine
- Thread starter dancorn
- Start date
I've had all but the tooting of the horn and the left side drive at some oil refineries..they are real anal on safety..
Depending on the shipper or consignee, expediters and their trucks get to play dress up in all sorts of ways.
The most amusing I have seen to date, and that makes me laugh every time I recall the image, is a consignee in Pennsylvania that requires drivers to put on shoe covers before being allowed to enter the loading dock area, which is behind a locked door.
After bumping a dock, you walk up steps outside the building and enter through the clearly marked driver's entrance. That puts you in a room where signs tell you to put on shoe covers and then ring the bell for a shipping clerk to open the locked door that leads to the docks. The shoe covers are easily found. The are in clear plastic boxes that are mounted on the wall by the signs that tell you to put the shoe covers on.
The problem occurs when drivers enter for whom English is not their first language or who may not speak English at all. Shoe covers look similar to hair nets and it sometimes happens that a driver who cannot read the sign or does not read the sign puts one shoe cover on his head instead of two on his feet.
I asked the shipping clerk how hard it is to keep a straight face when he opens the door and sees a driver standing there with a shoe cover on his head. The clerk said it was difficult.
The most amusing I have seen to date, and that makes me laugh every time I recall the image, is a consignee in Pennsylvania that requires drivers to put on shoe covers before being allowed to enter the loading dock area, which is behind a locked door.
After bumping a dock, you walk up steps outside the building and enter through the clearly marked driver's entrance. That puts you in a room where signs tell you to put on shoe covers and then ring the bell for a shipping clerk to open the locked door that leads to the docks. The shoe covers are easily found. The are in clear plastic boxes that are mounted on the wall by the signs that tell you to put the shoe covers on.
The problem occurs when drivers enter for whom English is not their first language or who may not speak English at all. Shoe covers look similar to hair nets and it sometimes happens that a driver who cannot read the sign or does not read the sign puts one shoe cover on his head instead of two on his feet.
I asked the shipping clerk how hard it is to keep a straight face when he opens the door and sees a driver standing there with a shoe cover on his head. The clerk said it was difficult.
Deville
Not a Member
I've been to that place a bunch of times. It is the cleanest Dock i've ever seen. Even the chains on the forklifts are SPOTLESS. They deal with some temp secured stuff so they need to be as clean as possible. Nice people too.