Being forced to wheel fat people
#31
Re: Being forced to wheel fat people
Yup.
Something similar in a big hotel in Boston a couple years ago, caused a bit of a stink when the hotel sacked all the cleaners because of a similar ultimatum.
Don't know if they got rehired after the news backlash though....but being fired for cause means no unemployment insurance in MA :/
Something similar in a big hotel in Boston a couple years ago, caused a bit of a stink when the hotel sacked all the cleaners because of a similar ultimatum.
Don't know if they got rehired after the news backlash though....but being fired for cause means no unemployment insurance in MA :/
#32
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: Being forced to wheel fat people
Their business isn't based at a hospital anymore unfortunately, they have around 5 offices, none have porter facilities. When they were based at a hospital they had porters. Hence now them asking people like my wife (who should be assisting with surgery instead) to wheel them in from the parking lot.
Maybe they could employ more ambulatory fat people to push the non-ambulatory ones, for exercise
#33
Re: Being forced to wheel fat people
If it was Texas I could tell you that you don't have a leg to stand on ... not sure about Massachusetts. I do know that certain positions in hospitals and clinics are only offered to those who can lift specific amounts or have sufficient strength to move heavy people. Not all heavy people are necessarily "fatties". It sounds like they should never have hired her so maybe you have some recourse there.
#34
Re: Being forced to wheel fat people
I think that was what the problem is about though. The goal posts being moved. Which happens when you don't have a contract.
#35
Re: Being forced to wheel fat people
From your post, it seems that the issue is more about your feelings than it is about her feelings. You can easily get a bad back by doing thing around the house but do you stop your wife from doing those things?
#36
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: Being forced to wheel fat people
If it was Texas I could tell you that you don't have a leg to stand on ... not sure about Massachusetts. I do know that certain positions in hospitals and clinics are only offered to those who can lift specific amounts or have sufficient strength to move heavy people. Not all heavy people are necessarily "fatties". It sounds like they should never have hired her so maybe you have some recourse there.
That's not remotely justifiable, and I'm amazed the bosses could even remotely think this is acceptable. Corporate abuse & hypocrisy alive and well the cynic in me would argue.
#38
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: Being forced to wheel fat people
No, it's about her coming hone upset and frustrated about this. Her frustration impacts on me accordingly, hence resentment to her employer that they are putting my currently able bodied wife in this position. It is unacceptable to me. Plain and simple.
#39
Re: Being forced to wheel fat people
Wife has been there for 5+ years, this has never been a requirement until they moved out of their hospital premises. Now they just expect staff to perform the duties the hospital porters did.
That's not remotely justifiable, and I'm amazed the bosses could even remotely think this is acceptable. Corporate abuse & hypocrisy alive and well the cynic in me would argue.
That's not remotely justifiable, and I'm amazed the bosses could even remotely think this is acceptable. Corporate abuse & hypocrisy alive and well the cynic in me would argue.
Does she not have a manager that she can have a reasonable conversation with?
#40
Rootbeeraholic
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 2,280
Re: Being forced to wheel fat people
Yep, just another thing that irritates me about corporate America - complete lack of health & safety consideration for employees. If anything happens to my wife as a result of pushing one of these fatties, I wonder if the employer doesn't expect me to hit them with a lawsuit within the week? Does that not even cross their minds?
What training has she had? Does she have access to Safety programs (they have to have these - I have to have them and I'm at an Engineering company, in fact re-writing them has been my main focus for the last 2 weeks but anyhows...).
The issue at hand is the manual lifting requirement, regardless of what the weight is due to. If they are being asked to lift or move loads that are too heavy there should be procedures in place to provide alternate strategies or to provide someone else who is capable of that specific manual lift requirement to do that aspect.
Do they have weekly/monthly meetings? If so, the best course of action would be for you wife to raise that someone hurt their back and ask what they could do to make sure no one else is hurt. This should set off alarm bells for the Health and Safety officer (the person in charge of complying with OSHA) without anybody getting the blame directly.
At least, that's how I'd go about it.
Last edited by Bink; Nov 8th 2013 at 5:19 pm.
#42
Re: Being forced to wheel fat people
There are actually quite a few requirements here, they just don't jump out (OSHA - and for a hospital failure to adhere would be serious).
What training has she had? Does she have access to Safety programs (they have to have these - I have to have them and I'm at an Engineering company, in fact re-writing them has been my mine focus for the last 2 weeks but anyhows...).
The issue at hand is the manual lifting requirement, regardless of what the weight is due to. If they are being asked to lift or move loads that are too heavy there should be procedures in place to provide alternate strategies or to provide someone else who is capable of that specific manual lift requirement to do that aspect.
Do they have weekly/monthly meetings? If so, the best course of action would be for you wife to raise that someone hurt their back and ask what they could do to make sure no one else is hurt. This should set off alarm bells for the Health and Safety officer (the person in charge of complying with OSHA) without anybody getting the blame directly.
At least, that's how I'd go about it.
What training has she had? Does she have access to Safety programs (they have to have these - I have to have them and I'm at an Engineering company, in fact re-writing them has been my mine focus for the last 2 weeks but anyhows...).
The issue at hand is the manual lifting requirement, regardless of what the weight is due to. If they are being asked to lift or move loads that are too heavy there should be procedures in place to provide alternate strategies or to provide someone else who is capable of that specific manual lift requirement to do that aspect.
Do they have weekly/monthly meetings? If so, the best course of action would be for you wife to raise that someone hurt their back and ask what they could do to make sure no one else is hurt. This should set off alarm bells for the Health and Safety officer (the person in charge of complying with OSHA) without anybody getting the blame directly.
At least, that's how I'd go about it.
#43
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: Being forced to wheel fat people
Maybe they could just buy a couple of motorized wheelchairs, ... or a small forklift!
http://www.seiequipment.com/images/DHForks.jpg
/helpful
http://www.seiequipment.com/images/DHForks.jpg
/helpful
#44
Re: Being forced to wheel fat people
Some time ago, I had to deal with this on a Tour.
No "Obeseicle" or similar. She expected either myself, or my elderly passengers to push her around, in her extremely wide and heavy wheelchair.
Employees at the Theatres visited, were told by their employers not to push wheelchairs due to risk of injury. You can see why.
It's a delicate situation, but, she is now on our "Do Not Travel" list unless accompanied by some serious assistance.
Photo does not show the face, thankfully.
Jim
No "Obeseicle" or similar. She expected either myself, or my elderly passengers to push her around, in her extremely wide and heavy wheelchair.
Employees at the Theatres visited, were told by their employers not to push wheelchairs due to risk of injury. You can see why.
It's a delicate situation, but, she is now on our "Do Not Travel" list unless accompanied by some serious assistance.
Photo does not show the face, thankfully.
Jim