Your Personal Safety Comes First!
Safety Is Our Top Priority
Donation pick-up operations are a critical aspect of our social enterprise. Often, our teams perform their jobs autonomously – without direct staff supervision. Our training modules will only scratch the surface of all the risks associated with this job.
Often, you and your team will encounter unforeseen issues or dilemmas. Your first thoughts should consistently be – Is this safe? What actions should I take to increase safety and limit risk? Is my team accounted for?
From the moment you do your pre-trip inspection to when you load/unload the box truck – making sure that you and your team are safe should be the top priority.
It is also essential to highlight the customer interaction aspect of this job. For many of our donors, this is the first time they directly interact with our team members. We certainly want to make a good impression and provide top-notch service.
We always want to lead with an attitude of gratitude. After all, our donors help us achieve our mission. We largely depend on the community’s support – without our donors, we would not be able to accomplish our mission.
We’ve included below a drop-down list that touches on key points from this module. Think of these points as a series of rules of thumb. We will do our best to give you detailed guidance – but often, you will need to think critically and adjust to a variety of situations.
Our Donation Coordinator will do their best to identify items that we cannot accept during the scheduling phase. However, some donors may attempt to add items we cannot take during the pick-up. This may mean that you will have to say no politely. You can evaluate the entire pick-up, get feedback from your team, and make a well-informed decision. Please feel free to call staff if you need additional guidance. Occasionally, staff will approve items that we only sometimes take. This is due to a critical relationship that we have with that individual. This will always be indicated in the notes section of daily pick-up schedule.
Always drive safely. Obey all applicable laws and never put yourself or the vehicle in harm’s way. Always take your time!
Whenever possible, have your team guide you. It would be best if you always had a spotter when backing our trucks in. A spotter can help you navigate tight spaces and watch for low-hanging limbs or structures.
This job requires a bit of strength. Often, you will encounter heavy items. Please don’t try and lift items that are beyond your capabilities. If the item is too heavy or presents additional hazards, you may have to pass on that item. It would be best if you always used a team lift for moving heavy objects.
No donation is more valuable than your safety, health, and life. Never put yourself in a compromising position.
We are not allowed to remove doors or alter a building to retrieve donations. If it can’t be easily accessed – you will need to leave it behind.
Also, please don’t disconnect washers, dryers, or any appliance connected to a water/power source. This is the donor’s responsibility. You may be perfectly capable – but this could potentially damage the structure and cause catastrophic issues.
You are allowed to disassemble donations – or break them down to make carrying them more manageable.
