Archived Cold temperatures

[Patrick327]

I know I should probably check with my store before asking on a forum, but I'm assuming the answer is the same for every store, for the ones that get cold temps at least, at what cold temperature are cart attendants not allowed to go get carts because of safety? It's been bitterly cold, as most of you might already know, I know it's factored on the temp combined with the wind chill, but I forget what it said.

 

[commiecorvus]

Are there guests customers using carts?
Then you had better go get them.
It is below zero here.
I'm pretty sure the CA's just put on their long johns and Carharts.
Just be glad you don't work the Target in Fairbanks. (yes, that says -40)

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Wear a heavy coat & gloves to stay warm. Unless you are one of those folks who did not wear a coat to work, knowing you are cart attendant.

 

[Bosch]

Get a toque, some hand and boot warmers and keep your trips short.

 

[xeno]

Yesterday, as I was pulling into work, i saw practically the entire salesfloor in the parking lot grabbing carts. Apparently there were no carts at all so our STL screamed over the walkie that everyone on the floor has to go outside. My friend didn’t wear a heavy jacket to work that day, or gloves or boots. I felt so bad for her. our temperature was nearing -7 before windchill

 

[SallyHoover]

I remember watching a documentary about Barrow, Alaska and there was an interview with an elementary school teacher who said that they like the kids to go outside after lunch for at least 5-10 minutes to get some fresh air but when it was below -40F or -80F with windchill they had to stay in for there own safety.

I think Target might abide by those same guidelines. If you are a cart attendant dress appropriately to the weather. If it is really cold, ask if they can provide some hand warmer thingys.

 

[IWishIKnew]

Eh, if you're out grabbing a few carts it's not that big of a deal to be out for a couple minutes. For CAs out longer, though, yeah--layers are your friend.

 

[HRZone]

Yesterday, as I was pulling into work, i saw practically the entire salesfloor in the parking lot grabbing carts. Apparently there were no carts at all so our STL screamed over the walkie that everyone on the floor has to go outside. My friend didn’t wear a heavy jacket to work that day, or gloves or boots. I felt so bad for her. our temperature was nearing -7 before windchill

It's the etls job to get carts when the cart attendant cannot and they can only ask for volunteers. If I was your friend I would have politely declined.

 

[Kartman]

My friend didn’t wear a heavy jacket to work that day, or gloves or boots. I felt so bad for her. our temperature was nearing -7 before windchill

If she couldn't grab an overcoat from the backroom freezer then she DID NOT have to go out and work in the weather.

It's the etls job to get carts when the cart attendant cannot and they can only ask for volunteers.

Only "ask?" That's news to me.

 

[IWishIKnew]

They ask at my store, if the CA(s) are busy with other things. My STL is usually the first to volunteer.

 

[Kartman]

There is NOTHING more important than getting carts when there are no carts.

 

[Pale]

There is NOTHING more important than getting carts when there are no carts.

Gotta get ALL OF THE CARTS. I don't care if half of the store is out in -27 windchill without proper protection, we need all of the carts.

 

[Kartman]

If you don't have the gear to do the job, then the job doesn't get done.

 

[Tessa120]

Are there guests customers using carts?
Then you had better go get them.
It is below zero here.
I'm pretty sure the CA's just put on their long johns and Carharts.
Just be glad you don't work the Target in Fairbanks. (yes, that says -40)

With that temperature, what is the point of "F" on the sign?

I'm not a cart attendant, but I have been in very cold weather before. Layers, lots and lots of layers. It traps air heated by your body close to you far better than a single heavy layer. Take advantage of the TM appreciation discount and hit up the C9 section. Keep in mind that when you are getting into three or four layers you will need the next size up. Cotton is miserable when wet, it leaches away heat, but boy does it trap in heat when it's cold and dry outside.

 

[FlowTeamChick]

My friend didn’t wear a heavy jacket to work that day, or gloves or boots. I felt so bad for her. our temperature was nearing -7 before windchill

Not saying your friend should have had to collect carts without appropriate gear, but what about if something happened to her car (or bus or whatever) on the way to work? We're having below zero temps in my area, and I wear my super-warm coat etc. even though it's not that far to drive and it's all in the city. Even a short walk to a gas station would be miserable in this weather.

 

[FlowTeamChick]

With that temperature, what is the point of "F" on the sign?

Maybe they also display the temperature in centigrade? I dunno....

 

[commiecorvus]

Maybe they also display the temperature in centigrade? I dunno....

Yeah, most of our signs do both.
In this case it didn't need to.

 

[FlowTeamChick]

Yeah, most of our signs do both.
In this case it didn't need to.

Well, yeah, cold is cold after a certain point. But there aren't very many places where they match up. I've never looked at it - is this the only one? *Someone* should figure out how to leave off the "F" or "C" just when that particular temperate displays.

 

[commiecorvus]

-40 is the only time they match up.

 

[Tessa120]

Yeah, minus 40 is the only thing that is the same in both celsius and fahrenheit.

The conversion is something like (F-32)/9*5=C [going by memory so please be nice if I'm wrong].

 

[Tyler Harris]

It's the etls job to get carts when the cart attendant cannot and they can only ask for volunteers. If I was your friend I would have politely declined.

Where does it say it is the ETL's jobs and they can only ask for volunteers?

I have been forced to go get carts even though I never applied to be a cart attendant and have never been scheduled as the cart attendant.

 

[Fix It]

Cart runs aren’t voluntary. They might ask “All available TM’s to the front for a cart run” making it sound like their asking, but if they’re on their way to the front of store and see you idle I’d guarantee they’ll drag you with them.

 

[GoodyNN]

I've occasionally heard a walkie call that said "if you aren't with a guest right now, you need to go out to the lot and pull in carts". When it gets to that point, it generally gets repeated several times over the next 15 minutes or so. Those are the days I'm really glad I'm a cashier.

And yes, I have gone out for carts in the past, usually on days when CA called off or was never scheduled, and we have only older and/or female cashiers working. And apologized in advance for the fact that I'm going to be slower than they might want, I physically can't handle more than 4-5 at a time, and I routinely see CA's pushing 10+.

 

[Kartman]

5 is all I push, unless it's straight in from the front.

Piss on pushing 7.

 

[Flow Warrior]

I know I should probably check with my store before asking on a forum, but I'm assuming the answer is the same for every store, for the ones that get cold temps at least, at what cold temperature are cart attendants not allowed to go get carts because of safety? It's been bitterly cold, as most of you might already know, I know it's factored on the temp combined with the wind chill, but I forget what it said.

−273° on the Celsius scale (International System of Units), which equates to −458° on the Fahrenheit scale