Recyclables

LindaS · May 2004

At a Safety Committee meeting last week it was brought to my attention that there were numerous (15+) garbage can bags of recyclables in the back area of our plant. There was a concern brought up that these cans will attract bees, wasps and other rodents (especially since the weather is warmer). Not to mention it's basically garbage.

Anyway, I went to look and found this to be the case. I knew that we have an individual who collects them and takes them in for the $$. I spoke with him and asked him to get them out of the plant. He said he couldn't do it that day (last Friday) but would do it on Monday. Those cans were still here after the shift on Tuesday.

A supervisor volunteered to get rid of them, to which I told him okay. Now I have a letter signed bu numerous people stating that their cans were "stolen" and that they want to be reimbursed for the money they are out. They claim that they had arrangements to get rid of them on Wednesday.

My contention is that 1) They knew that they were supposed to get rid of them, 2) Nobody said anything to me or anyone else about getting rid of them, 3) They were a safety and health issue and 4) Those cans were collected over several months, they should have taken care of them long ago.

I don't feel that they deserve to be reimbursed anything. Any thoughts?

HR in CA · May 2004

I don't think they should be reimbursed. Our policy states:

Neither the company, nor its insurance carrier can take any liability for an employee’s personal belongings. Employees should secure their belongings to the best of their ability. Quest recommends leaving personal item at home when possible.

If you have a similar policy, your employees failed to follow it. Storing them on your property for that long went up and beyond.

As a person who is allergic to bee/wasp stings I see this as a serious safety issue.

Please keep us posted as events develop.

Pork · May 2004

NOT TO MENTION WEST NILE VIRUS, which is carried by mosquitoes who lay their eggs anywhere that might have moisture. OSHA AND STATE DEPARTMENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY HAVE BEEN TELLING US TO PROTECT OUR PEOPLE OR WE WILL.

Now lets walk the other side of the story; obviously, these recyclables were collected from your break area or cafe or pop machines, who would go out and collect these cans and bring them onto company property? Is there a written agreement with some employee that they can collect company property and gain income from the resale of company property or is their a employee club or something like a fund for the employees that is generated from these recycables? If so give the funds collected back to these employees. This is the right thing to do for employee relations. It is the heavy handed company that can certainly afford to keep good employee relations by allowing them to resale these cans for the benefit of all employees. So who is managing these funds for the employees?

We terminated an employee for stealing company property in the form of cans, wheels, batteries, and, so forth. Not only that, we prosecuted him for stealing metal located in his trunk, in the search of the trunk, we found a very large air hammer used to break tires lugs a loose from the wheel of a truck. We just happened to have the serial number of the "JACK HAMMER" that was missing from the truck shop that we did not know was missing. He thought we were throwing it away. You better look in those bags there just might be a hammer or wrench or whatever in the bags with just cans!!!

PORK

Rob S · May 2004

Hey HR in CA,

Do you by chance work for Quest software. I know they are based in CA. If you do, e-mail me at [email]rshuster@mahoneygroup.com[/email]. I have a good friend that works there and I haven't talked to him in while and I would like to get ahold of him.

Thanks,
Rob Shuster

HR in CA · May 2004

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 05-20-04 AT 06:45PM (CST)[/font][br][br]Oh, we also have a non-profit company come in and collect the cans once a week. They get the income, we get the cans hauled off regularly. A real win-win!

Don D · May 2004

If not nuts, the employees are so far off base as to not even be in the ballpark. You have no obligation to protect empty drink cans as if they were personal property needing to be guarded. Tell them to 'Go to work and have your attorney call me'. Somebody was collecting garbage, refuse, trash....it matters not that it may have some recyclable value if transported to a recycler. Garbage needs to be off company property with a degree of haste. You can also be prepared to tell them that it is a violation of OSHA standards to store such refuse outside the confines of the plant where the rain may hit them and wash residue into community streams or water systems. Put the damned stuff in the dumpster on a daily basis.

marc · May 2004

Your company was doing some good things for the EEs by allowing them to collect the recyclables and to temporarily store them on-site while the EEs were waiting to recycle them.

After you discoverer the items accumulating to long, you notified them to remove the items. They came up with the time to get rid of them, not you. After they failed in fullfilling their obligation, the company eliminated the problem and now, the company is somehow the bad guy?

As far as I am concerned, this is just another symptom of the "Victim Mentality" that so plagues our country. These EEs need to get over it or go find work elsewhere. It is audacious for them to cry foul under the scenario described.

Put in a policy that all refuse will be taken care of in the following manner: then describe your process of garbage collection and removal. State that any refuse not off the company premises by (day of the week) will be disposed of by the company with no further recourse by any EE.

psrcello · May 2004

I had two employees squabbling over aluminum cans about six months ago. Both are long time employees (one will hit 50 years of service in September!) One would acuse the other of stealing cans that she had collected, and the other would acuse the first of "dumpster diving" to retrieve cans, then sit in the break room without washing her hands.

I finally had the local boy scout troop start coming in and picking up the cans three times a week to collect the cans. Works well for us!

For heaven's sake, don't reward those employees for leaving bags of cans around long enough to become a safety and health hazard!

LindaS · May 2004

Thanks to all for your responses.

I spoke with the individual who got rid of the cans for us (at the instruction of the Manufacturing Director) and informed him of the letter and that it was his choice whether or not to reimburse the employees the money.

I personally feel that they shouldn't get anything, especially after one of the affected employees informed me that the majority of those cans had been there for alot longer than I thought. After speaking with the individual who took the cans for us, it appears that he will probably give at least the majority of the money back to the employees. I told him to AT LEAST take some money for his time and gas, but the decision rests with him.

The employees have been told that the cans are to be removed immediately when a bag has been filled. They have also been told that if this happens again, the cans will be removed WITHOUT them having an opportunity to get rid of them. They have also been warned about accusing someone of stealing without substantial proof.

I don't necessarily feel that we should have left the decision regarding the money to the employee, as he feels a certain amount of guilt now but management didn't want to spend a significant amount of time on the issue.

Thanks again.

Recyclables

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