Forklift Operator

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 between customers and to maintain organization within the warehouse.

This includes transferring bales from the baler to their designated stacks and loading bales of each material onto trucks for delivery.

Report to

The forklift operator will report to the plant manager and 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.

• Learn Lock 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 all Personal 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 Count Sheet, 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 the contamination. If you see excess contamination, notify supervisor immediately.
• Assist with daily and monthly inventory counts.
• Review and assist baler operator with bale production and make sure quality product is being produced. Remove contamination to prepare them for shipment prior to being placed in inventory.

Ensure all bales in inventory are ready to ship.

• Communicate with scale operator to facilitate loading and unloading of trucks received in a safe manner.
• Report all damage as soon as discovered, whether on RDS equipment or other equipment. This includes inspecting trailers when received at the loading dock.
• Perform quality checks on outgoing bales before they go into inventory and again when loading trailers. Remove contamination before putting them into inventory.
• Learn average and acceptable out-weights for trailers and load consistently in that range. (40,000 lbs. are the minimum amount of weight that can be loaded on a trailer before it can leave, 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 needed before and after truck shipment. Assist truck drivers with tasks as requested.
• Help baler operator when needed, including when 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 and put collected material from cleaning into bunkers or bins for rebaling.
• 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 the backpack 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 needed and refuel equipment at the end of the day. Fill out paperwork and turn in at the end of the day.

• If a stoppage occurs on the sort line or at the baler, be prepared to address issue and assist before 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 operating forklifts in a warehouse, ideally experience operating large machinery such as loaders.
• High school diploma preferred 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