Has anyone had problems getting loaded at Gerdau Ameristeel, Midlothian TX

From steel toed boots to flame retardant coveralls to breathing apparatus...all in 100+ degree weather. I don't believer I've ever seen a hardhat with a chin strap outside of a coal mine.

 

As far as the hard hat goes just loop a bungee strap over your lid and hook it to your jeans.

What a ridiculous rule.

 

Most Gerdau Ameristeel locations have the same PPE and equipment requirements.

PPE

Hard Hat with chis strap ( so when they run you over with the fork lift, or drop something from the crane, your hard hat stays on)
Long pants and long sleeve shirts ( arm covers are ok too)
Safety shoes (steel toe)
Safety glasses
reflective safety vest.

Lumber, dunnage what ever you want to call it

8 4X4X8 must be hard wood. No landscape stuff, no 2X4s and the like.
If you use any short stock, it also must be 4X4 hard wood.

They have on the bills, if chains are used, edge protection is required.

They also do not allow any one to get up on the trailer at any time, supposed to include doing set up work.
unless fall prevention equipment is in use.(the nets, or a harness)


Why they do this. They lost a big injury law suit a few years back

 

Loaded there last week. In and Out.

 

with the big explosin the had last time i was there.

nucor isn't that strict on PPE. and they are way safer to load out of.

i've only been to that one location. but i hope i never have to visit ANY of their locations any time in this life time.

 

This is all perfectly fine. Nothing wrong with having all these rules and regulations in place. But if they want me to jump through all those hoops to move their freight, they better pay me for doing all those things.

I've heard of drivers ripping out NY or LA or xxx out of their map and refusing to go there. Well as a local driver, I think I'm going to start refusing to go to certain refineries / customers because its just not worth it. Detention pay isn't worth my time. I make 3-4 times as much money when I'm moving as I do when I'm making detention pay. For some short runs, I make $10+ a mile, why should I sit around for $60 / hr to the truck in an FRC in 100 degree weather.

If we all say no to the Cheap freight, then rates have to rise. It is a ###### customer that sends us there but they give us volume. But I'm at the point I think where I've built up enough of a reputation that I will tell them to call the cheap freight haulers to go to that place and I'll sit and wait for a better paying load.

 

everyone talks about how much time their truck is worth. then they brag about sitting around for a better paying load.

by the time you find that better paying load. and account for your sitting time. how does that great paying load turn out????