OSHA - IT!

MILE MARKER # 24


Truck drivers are known to have one of the most dangerous jobs. Danger lurks behind every corner and is ready to attack when it doesn't have a driver's undivided attention. Having had the experience of being a road driver and a city driver, I believe that city drivers come in contact with more dangerous situations, more often. A city driver is in and out of the cab at least 25 times a day and and has to deal with numerous pick ups and deliveries on a daily basis. It's all dangerous, but injuries and accidents are more prevalent with the city driver. Both types of drivers are always in dangerous situations, not to mention dealing with traffic without running over or into something.
Last Thursday was the second time I injured myself, and both injuries occurred while I was a city driver. My first injury details are mentioned in Mile marker#13 (You want me to do what?). A big issue that needs to be addressed is the maintaining of dock apparatus at businesses. I estimate that probably 1 in 8 dock plates that I frequent, need some type of maintenance performed. The ones that do not operate properly have their own little tricks to make them function. Some businesses are simply to cheap to have their dock plates scheduled for routine maintenance because it costs money. Then you wonder why drivers end up with bad backs and injuries that are arguable with the company they work for. Somehow it was your fault.
Last Thursday, I had to make a pick up at a one of these piece of crap, so called businesses. ( You now where this is going ) I backed in to load 2 skids and attempted to pull the the chain on the the dock plate. Not surprisingly, the dock plate didn't cooperate. The dock hand brought the first skid, and I told him that the dock plate wasn't down and didn't work. He says " Oh, You have to do this and that." (Another secret trick thing) This particular dock operation ended up to be a two man job. He pulled the chain, while I was in the trailer pulling up on the other end as instructed. It cleared the trailer without springing the end out, so I thought it was one of them that rises all the way up and you stand on it, and it springs out on the way down. NOPE! This possessed dock plate decided to spring half way up, leaving me with a 4 inch open gash to the shin bone! Dock hand says, "Are you alright?" I looked at him, and told him to give me a couple minutes. I can't really describe the pain I was in, but I think I would rather of sat for a 3 hour tattoo session under the arm. I had the S-bomb and OSHA in mind at the same time, and came up with OSHA - IT! I knew it wasn't going to be good, but after a couple of minutes I raised my pant leg to check out the damage. My sock collected all of the lost blood, and I could see bone fragments. Not surprisingly, the so called business didn't have a first aid kit. I wrapped some paper towel around my leg and taped it up. I had to drive across the street to a legitimate business that had a first aid kit available. Unreal! Long story short, I got it doctored up and I am back to work. It gets a little sore by the end of the day because it's on my clutch leg, but it's healing nice. I'm getting tired of being Mr. Nice Guy. Two pulls on the chain and if it doesn't work, that's it, they can do it. And if they have a problem with that, I got rid of a good friend in my Fav-Five and replaced him with a direct line to OSHA.