Forklift Operator - Portsmouth

RDS is a successful, growing company that has an excellent opening for a forklift operator with opportunities for cross training and advancement in the company. This position presents an opportunity to work among automated, state-of-the-art, high-tech recycling equipment and machinery including robotics to see commingled recycling materials be sorted into pristine bales for sale and shipment to end-market vendors where they are remanufactured into new products.

Joining the RDS team will give you firsthand insight into the advancing, dynamic recycling industry in this region. The forklift operator will be responsible for loading and unloading trucks with bales. Associated tasks are conducting quality checks on material, including cleaning around the facility, stacking, and labeling bales of material. Learning how to take care of the process machinery and understanding our products line will come naturally to the right individual. As you progress there will be a chance to learn to operate various other machinery around the facility. Must be reliable, on time, and have transportation to our facility located in Portsmouth, VA. Prior equipment operating experience preferred.

Job Description:

The Forklift Operator is responsible for loading, unloading, and moving bales at the facility betweencustomers and to maintain organization within the warehouse. This includes transferring balesfrom the balerto theirdesignated stacksand loading bales of each material onto trucks for delivery.

Report to:

Theforkliftoperator will report to theplant managerand will coordinate daily job functions with the Baler Operator and Dispatcher.

Status: Full-Time (40 hours per week). Monday-Friday. Weekend work may be required (as needed). Hourly. Non-Exempt.

Duties & Responsibilities:Below are some of the duties and responsibilities necessary for successful performance in the position but these will change depending on the needs of the facility.

LearnLock Out Tag Out (LOTO)for the machinery you are working on - use this every time you work on or in or around that machinery.

Show up on time with allPersonal Protective Equipment (PPE)and tools including radio- take part in plant morning meetings. Bring problems, issues and observations up with your supervisor.

Fill out and maintain the following forms:Daily Operator Checklist, Daily Inventory CountSheet, Inventory Sheet,Fuel Consumption Sheet.

Safe operation of the forklift.

Identify different recyclable products in the facility.

Understand what items make bales of product unacceptable to the final buyer, be able to remove thecontamination.If you see excess contamination, notify supervisor immediately.

• Review andassist baler operator withbale production andmake surequality product is being produced.Remove contamination to prepare them for shipment priorto being placed in inventory.Ensure all bales in inventory are ready to ship.
Communicate with scale operator to facilitate loading and unloading oftrucksreceivedin a safe manner.

• Report all damage as soon as discovered, whether on RDS equipment or other equipment.Thisincludesinspecting trailers when received at the loading dock.

• Performquality checks on outgoing balesbefore they go into inventory and again when loading trailers.Remove contamination beforeputting theminto inventory.

• Learnaverage andacceptable out-weights for trailersand load consistently in that range.(40,000 lbs. are the minimum amount of weight that can be loaded on a trailer before it canleave,45,000 lbs. are the maximum amount of weight that can be loaded on a trailer.)Understand the weight of bales to base bale numbers loaded to weight.

• Learn how to fill out the paperwork neededbefore and after truck shipment.Assist truck drivers with tasks as requested.

• Help baler operator when needed,includingwhen aluminum is dropped from the bunker to be baled.

• Help Loader Operator and Roll Off Driver with tasks as needed.

Check with the Plant Manager for placement of all inbound material.Move inbound bales as required for processing.

• Maintain housekeeping andputcollected materialfrom cleaninginto bunkers or bins forrebaling.

• Throughout the day, keep the dock area, bale staging area, pick areas and in general the back half of the plant floor clean and free of debris. This should be done by sweeping and using thebackpack blower.

• Maintain all tools and supplies and account for them at the end of each day.

• Shut Down Procedures:Sweep and blow down the floor around baler, inventory storage and passageways. Proceed to the HD side of the sort line and begin to blow off the sort line platforms,walkways, motors, machines of dust and debris.Empty containers as neededand refuel equipment at the end of the day.Fill out paperwork and turn it in at the end of the day.

• If a stoppage occurs on the sort line or at the baler, be prepared to address the issueand assistbefore returning to tasks.

• Be able to perform minor maintenance and repairs to the loader, including scheduled preventative maintenance (PM).

• On incoming loads, ensure trailer is cleaned out of all debris.

• Physically number aluminum bales according to the process in place.

Skills &Qualifications:

• Preferred two years of experience operatingforklifts in a warehouse, ideallyexperience operating large machinery such as loaders.
• High school diplomapreferred but not required.
• Forklift Certification Class
• Be able to pass a drug / alcohol screening, physical and physical ability test as well as random drug inspections after start date.

• Good customer services skills to meet and exceed customer expectations; acts in a professional, courteous and cooperative manner toward customers and co-workers; works with a sense of honesty and trustworthiness.
• Good time management skills to ensure assigned responsibilities are completed in an efficient and safe manner.
• Good follow-through ability: ability to adhere to work schedule and follow through on challenges as they arise.
• Ability to adhere to Company policies and rules set forth; promotes the Company's safety standards; does not take inappropriate risks.
• Maintains a feeling of pride in work; strives to achieve all goals.

RDS of Virginia, LLC provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.