took some advice and started outsourcing service work oil change,driveline lube,etc. well I have officially got burnt,seems as though when checking the rear end fluids someone forgets to put the plug back in,2500 miles later I am doing a routine job inspection and I smell hot 90 weight you know the smell and guess what I find ,now my question is should the operator have noticed the oil leak,the smell,or just looked and noticed the oil everywhere or the plug missing ? the rear end is trashed (it took a plunge a few days later) the mechanic shop took responsibility and theyre fixing it,but,should that operator have noticed something within 2-3 weeks of the plug being gone,i noticed it within 5 minutes of being around the truck just a question and isnt that part of an operators job to check his pump out,get under every week and check it out? just wandering if I am expecting to much or I am living in the days of old

That guy will always work for you

You will never work for him

That is why you saw it and he did not

I feel the operator should have noticed it within a couple days at least. I maintain pumps for small and larger companies and i have yet to find operators who properly pre trip. It is one of my pet peeves and I often get into arguments with company owners over it.

 The best solution i have seen are compnies who pay operators a going rate base pay and then tie a bonus system to equipment damage and maintenence. Some even tie the bonus to yardage to encourage getting that extra job done but that brings safety in to question so i dont like to comment on that.

i feel that the op probably should have noticed that. but then again has he been taught about a good pre-trip or post inspection? i know i havent been taught what too and what not too look for but i do my best when i walk around my truck every morning before i leave the shop and then again every night when i get fuel. there are some things that i am sure i probably wont catch but i do my best.

Funny thing about gear oil is has an aroma that could only be out done by aunt martha's gas.Sniffer's not working hey?.Glad the shop is reputable.

Pudg, get yer self 4 paper cups, put hyd. oil in 1- 90wt. in #2, anti-freeze in #3, and diesel in #4...

Next time he comes stragglin in the office tell him to close his eyes and "fine-tune" his senses. Be sure to do this with atleast one person in the room as it has more effect on the tuning. Follow up a couple weeks later by asking.... Hey,...whats that smell?

Ride'em hard... Hya!!

he has been driving a truck for 30 plus years seems like he should know,and yes we have went over numerous times how we expect our trucks to be checked out and taken care of but its a lost cause I am always on the younger generation about there not giving a f#%& well this guy is over 50 so thats not the reason,gear oil smells hot gear oil is like a skunk there is no way any grown man with a nose shouldn't smell it,we always preach never walk in front of the truck always walk around with ears eyes nose on alert for anything that doesnt seem rite its like talking to a brick wall, I have 4 younger ops I do believe would have caught this, so maybe its just the times and not ages , but it really sucks for all of us that pumped for very little money and took care of the equipment and fought so these guys can make a decent living and get paid well to know there is no appreciation no respect for the equipment , I wish I had a 1972 whiteman boom to discipline with I guarantee they would sing a different tune real quick

  Makes you want to go back to just operating and maintaining a pump.Just show up at the yard,check out your truck,you know the routine.I think management these days is for someone who doesn't know any better.....

Pudg-

You didn't get burned.  You decided, for whatever reason, to outsource some services.  A reputable shop will stand behind their work and make warranty repairs or replacements...which you are receiving.  Stick with outsourcing...

Think about what would have happened if YOU did the work in house.  You would be in the same exact situation, only now your company would be covering the replacement costs.  This is where you would've been burned.  Stick with outsourcing...

As an employee, success comes through individual accomplishment.  As a manager, success comes through the accomplishments of others.  Everything that happens, good or bad, is your responsibility...

Take the responsibility.  Work with your operator on truck/pump checklist inspections without belittling him.  Write down your expectations and post them on the wall for everyone to be able to use for reference.  Give them the tools for success.  Allow yourself to be approachable.  No one wants to work for a dick...be positive!!

After all the checklists and pre-trip expectation procedures are implemented, see how it goes.  If it continues in the direction you describe then fire the operator.  Don't threaten him hoping you'll see some change - just STFU and fire the guy.  Just do it.  Accept the responsibility of your position in the company.

In the future, when hiring an operator, look for more of the attributes that make an operator a great operator - not a button pusher.  Don't hire someone because you need to fill a seat.  Be picky and ultimately, you'll end up with a very positive and hard working crew that you can be proud of.

I hope you take this as constructive criticism.  This is not a personal dig on you.  This is from an operator - to a manager.   

I know it's hard to find reliable, drug-free, responsible, legal, eager, short-haired help.  I know there are really excellent operators out there that have been laid-off due to the economy.  You are in a great position to pick up really good help if you want it.

Raymond,

I am not a hard guy to work for, and I do not threaten, in fact I have not once belittled the guy due to the mechanic shops failures,I just know that a operator that looked after his pump and gave a shit would have noticed or smelled the burning 90 weight, and as far as not getting burnt I did they are fixing the truck but the downtime loss of jobs will not be covered,and if it would have been done in our shop that WOULD NOT have happened,but you made some interesting points and I was not offended by any of your statements, I do not think its a fireable offense just something that bothers me, to see how far these machines have come and to see how some ops just dont respect the equipment,maybe bisley was rite managers should be managers and once a operator always an operator, just venting and asking opinions, we are human and we all make mistakes it just concerns me all the clues the oil leak the smell the smoke coming from the rear end none of that being noticed kind of sent up a red flag that maybe this guys head is up his ass and if hes not noticing these signs what else is he missing ? 

sometimes when i just get done doing some service work something goes wrong and yep it was what i got done fooling with because i skiped over getting it done right, but a quick fix and back to the races.