Employers expect me to move equipment

Istabraq1

Registered User
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I am moving office with my job and have more or less been told that it is my responsibility to pack and transport all my stuff (PC, Monitor, phone, files etc.)
Surely there are health and safety issues here, as well as issues of insurance (using my own car).
This is not exactly a small company so I would have thought all this should have been taken care off for me... Any opinions?
 
Have you raised your concerns with the relevant people in the company - e.g. HR, your manager etc.? Personally, regardless of the letter of the law on this, I would be inclined to be cooperative and just do it if it was only the PC but would draw the line at real heavy lifting (e.g. desks and other fixtures/fittings).
 
Whatever about packing and unpacking the stuff, I'm sure there are health and safety procedures in place if the company is big. Is there a Safety Officer? Who deals with fire evacuations? THere should be, by law, a Safety Statement too. Even if this move is unusual, the employer should be concerned enough to ensure that they are covered in the event of say, somebody tripping over a telephone cable while carrying a PC out......
 
While nobody should be complacent about workplace health and safety I believe that one also needs to remain pragmatic about stuff like this. On the other hand if the original poster just wants the letter of the law rather than opinions (which were solicited) then maybe somebody can post that?
 
Thanks for the replys folks...
I'm gonna go ahead and transport the stuff, I just think it is very unprofessional. Would be interesting to see what would happen in the event that God forbid i did trip over while carrying the PC.
My car insurance covers personal use, because I am transporting work equipment are there any implications if I have a tip?

Not overly concerned about the issue but I am a little bit peeved that I'm expected to pack, carry and transport everything myself.
 
I don't blame you for being peeved...If you drop the PC will you be expected to pay for it's replacement too?

What if you hurt your back (or a smaller, weaker person does) ? Will they pay for medical treatment as you have not been trained how to correctly lift heavy object etc. ??

I'd tell them to stick it and hire a removals company if they want your PCs moved.

I'd bet good money that the MD or CEO ain't carting his stuff !!
 
Average price of chiropractic care is €55 per session. Have you undertaken a manual handling course from your company?
 
This sounds incredibly foolish for the employer. The cost of a single injury claim will considerably outweigh any savings in removal costs. Asking someone to move heavy, bulky equipment (e.g. PC monitor) without ensuring that they are physically capable and (as Whistler said) appropriately trained is crazy.

Is everyone on staff capable of lifting their monitor? Are there any little 5'2" girleens on the team that could not manage this? Any pregnant ladies?

In relation to your car, it is very unlikely that you are covered for 'carriage of goods' unless you have specifically requested and paid for this in the past. Double-check with your insurance company, but you may well be driving without insurance if you do carry goods for your company.

If you are part of a large company, you might find a way to ensure that the Head Office health & safety people know what is happening on the ground. This would bring a swift halt to this approach.
 
You will be driving uninsured for this trip.... your policy will only cover "social and demotic including traveling too and from work" it will not cover this
 
Before you do this you should ask your employer some questions. The best line to take is probably that you are completely happy to do this, but you want to clear up a few things first...

- Check with your car insurance first to see what is excluded, then ask your employer what insurance cover is in place in the following scenarios:
- if you are involved in a crash when transporting equipment.
- if the equipment is stolen from your car.
- if the equipment is damaged in some way en route.
This is not being awkard, my company has people travelling and there is a well defined policy on insurance and what cover the company provides when on business (I'm not familliar with it as it doesn't apply to me, but I know it exists).

- What about employees who don't have cars?

- is there any training in handling equipment or packing it?

- What happens if someone is injured when moving equipment?
 
Thanks for the replys folks...
I'm gonna go ahead and transport the stuff, I just think it is very unprofessional. Would be interesting to see what would happen in the event that God forbid i did trip over while carrying the PC.
My car insurance covers personal use, because I am transporting work equipment are there any implications if I have a tip?

Not overly concerned about the issue but I am a little bit peeved that I'm expected to pack, carry and transport everything myself.
So - have you raised the issue with your employer as I mentioned above?
 
Not really sure what the big deal is

Who do you want to pack up your files?
How do you expect to find anything again if someone else does it?

I'd go with the simple commmon sense approach,

if you can carry it, just do it
if you can't carry it, let someone know it is too heavy and don't carry it

In relation to car insurance, do you check with your insurance company everytime you carry work files in your car also

Stuart
 
I used to be the first one to run and help somebody carrying something, always the big hero. Until I had to fork out well over €1000 euro to get my back sorted out.
I don't carry things anymore! :(
 
Not really sure what the big deal is

Who do you want to pack up your files?
How do you expect to find anything again if someone else does it?

I'd go with the simple commmon sense approach,

if you can carry it, just do it
if you can't carry it, let someone know it is too heavy and don't carry it

In relation to car insurance, do you check with your insurance company everytime you carry work files in your car also

Stuart

Some logic, what a relief!
 
If it's part of your job description to lug your monitor/PC etc to a new office, then fine...

All I see is the company trying to save money by making the employees do the removal job instead of forking out for it themselves.
You're hired as an office worker, not a removal man.

And before detractors come back, this is not a case of bringing your files home etc, as that is your choice and your car insurance will cover it.

We're not allowed to move PCs from one desk to another and the Tech Support/Infrastructure guys are the ONLY ones supposed to do it. We still do ourselves on occasion as we're more often than not waiting for ages for them to set up our desks after a move. However, if we injure ourselves, that's our tough !

Is it voluntary ? Will you be insured and paid for it ?
 
Thank god for Stuart & Purple!!If some one drops a pen and I pick it up can I sue if I pull a hammy whilst doing it?!!
 
Nice to see I am not the only idiot, I thought I was reading a script for an Ealing Studios comedy from the 50's

The OP referred to "(PC, Monitor, phone, files etc.)"

As I said leave the PC or monitor if you can't manage it

Who I really feel sorry for are the people in the OP's job who don't have cars and will have to spend all day on the bus going back and forth with PC's, monitor and printers

Now if they post I'd have a bit of sympathy

Stuart
 
Legally....
Employers have an obligation to eliminate or reduce to as low a level as practicable manual handling in the workplace. If manual handling cannot be eliminated then apprpriate training, information and lifting aids must be provided.

If you are being asked to move any item then at the very minimum a risk assessment identifying the hazards assciated with the task (e.g. different physical make up of employees; weight of objects being moved; whether or not a lift is available or all items going to be carried down stairs; whether the vehicle in question is suitable for carrying the items i.e. is the boot big enough and easy to load as you obviously cannot carry these items on the back seat, etc etc etc.) should be carried out and this assessment should also identify if you need manaul handling training (you will!). You can refuse to carry heavy items if you do not feel that you can safely do so.
 
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