Okay I work at FedEx and I figured I would just let you guys know what bugs me and what i see at work.
Most of the damage done to packages are not by the workers, it's from the conveyor that takes forever to stop loading boxes when it backs up... Thus crushing weaker boxes
Also items with exposed wheels and/or tires (hand trucks, luggage ETC ) including automotive wheels and/or tires see to get more abuse then other packages.
Pillows get thrown about 95% of the time... I mean come on their pillows.
Scotch tape is pretty good for some things... using 9 rolls on a package isn't one of them.
Brown paper tape with fabric reinforcements rip real easy and I'm tired of re taping them, use clear plastic tape.
FedEx has some terms for packages:
Small crushables (not sure what these are)
Wedge Packages: boxes that are wedged into place
Putting an object into a box that is a lot larger causes problems as the box starts to collapse.
Nearly every box that is made out of brown or white cardboard says "Fragile" on it... Hand writing Fragile on the box seems to yield better results.
Saran wrap isn't the same as tape
When shipping paper products like documents and stuff wrap in plastic then put in the box, the trailers are not water tight, but we do our best.
If you get a box from FedEx that does not have the last digit of your zip code written on it means it was not checked to make sure it was going to the right place
If you have a box of food that opens... I might just have a piece before I re tape it
just kidding (stealing is theft of interstate shipments, which is a felony)
Anyways FedEx has it's perks, for instance I've been told that I get 25% FedEx shipping in the USA and 75% off International shipments. Apparently I just go to a FedEx Kinkos and show them my badge. So any locals need shipping I'll try to hook you up.