Weighing your bags.

[Big Daz]

At our office pouches are rarely, if ever, weighed by either the staff or managers. I myself try to make sure that my pouches are not overweight as it is not fair to expect the drivers to carry more weight than they should. The last time anyone saw a manager weigh a bag was when one of our postwomen had an accident in the yard outside the office and two managers brought her bag in, weighted it and actually cheered with joy when they found it was over 16kg!

Exactly its not fair to expect someone else to carry your overweight pouches, if somebody want to take out a overweight 1st pouch on their bike and risk an accident and being deemed blameworthy then so be it (dont come expecting help from me)

[ROCKY]

heavy bags to the power off three is the drivers choice but if they get hurt and yours is the only 1 over weight guess who ges the blame

[TrueBlueTerrier]

No wonder I get weird looks from our drivers - my last bag is only 2 bundles 3 on a very busy day. But the one before it is always 11kg so I can't mix them. Must annoy him to take only a 3-5kg bag to a safe drop but it helps in keeping his duty.

[capricorn]

If the scales are not full of empty boxes or Yorks and only if I think the drop bag is over-weight. I have enough problems lifting 11Kg bags so my pouch cant be much heavier in order to lift it! Thank god for the bike.

[pillar box]

Weighing your bags is essential and should be recorded on a bag weigh sheet.

Your manager must keep a record to prove that he his conforming with the Manual Handling Regulations 1992.

Failure to do so would be a criminal offense if staff are injured due to heavy delivery bags. ( Contact your Legal & Medical Rep)

If your driver is taking heavy bags out to you then you could also be in trouble if he is injured loading them into his van.

I know it is a pain but the regulations are their to protect you.

Yes D.O.Ms turn a blind eye to whats going on but this does not excuse them from the Law.

Bag scales are mandatory to comply with these regulations if your office including SPDOs does not have them contact your CWU Area Safety Representative.

Hope this helps why kill your self for a Sh*ty employer.
:lfo :lfo

[brothermagrew]

pillar box

If you ain't a cwu safety rep then you should be. Talking total sense.

I would also add that all delivery pouches prior to commencement of deliveries should for health and safety purposes be weighed where scales are provided. Royal Mail's SBrief1.doc which relates to delivery pouch maximum weights states that a lot of research has been carried out by lifting and handling experts in the Post Office to determine the safest weight for delivery pouches. They have observed all the lifting and handling operations that are involved when pouches are moved around and have applied the requirements of the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 in order to determine a maximum weight that will minimize the risk of injury in all circumstances.

They have concluded that the maximum pouch weight for postmen / women is 16 kilos. For young persons under 18 the maximum pouch weight is 10 kilos. These maximum pouch weights also apply to cycle deliveries and that one loaded pouch is to be carried at a time. Extra pouches are to be made up ensuring non exceed the maximum weight. Since the switch to SDD it was strongly recommended that better use be made of the pouch weight matrix.

Any safety reps out there should be asking their respective managers for copies of all Royal Mail Safety Briefing documents which (if they plead ignorance) is on the Royal Mail Intranet Site. Safety briefing docs are the safe systems of work which should be applied.

[majeed]

...I don't know where RM pulled this magical 16kg number from...

The figure seems to match with the stats we were given on a manual handling course once: it's actually figures for HSE:

Getting to grips with manual handling INDG143 (see page 10)

NOTE: The figures across the board are not the same for women as compared with men and vice-versa.

[kwf166]

Usually I do, but lately I haven't had the time, too much work pile on us poor posties I mean it bad enough with all that door to door stuff, and than the redirections, I only been a postie for over a month now, but never realise how hard it was to be a postman.

[old-postie]

No I don't weight my bags.

I'm a part timer & get my bags sent out to me, still, after 20 odd years I can tell when they're over weight

the answer to that is most days

Old-Postie

[madmax99]

Weighing bags is just another waste of time. Managers don't take it seriously because it needs some effort on their part to have random checks for accuracy.

I weigh mine just to cover my ass for when Management get stroppy.

They just have to remind you every morning, to cover themselves.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Weighing bags is just another waste of time. Managers don't take it seriously because it needs some effort on their part to have random checks for accuracy.

I weigh mine just to cover my ass for when Management get stroppy.

They just have to remind you every morning, to cover themselves.

I weigh mine not because of stroppy management, but because if I have an AOD I am certain they will weigh the bags and if its 1oz overweight I'll get the blame. Plus me weighing the bags everyday seems to wind them up.

[Lounge Lizard]

There is a Legal requirement for weighing delivery bags " Manual Handling Regulations 1992."

If your office or spdo does not have scales contact your Line Manager first if he does not do anything contact your CWU Area safety Rep.
Delivery bags should not only be weighed but there must be a record kept of this activity for visiting EHS Officers

Dont put your self at risk of injury.

If you dont get any response from the above contact your local District Council EHS Department and make a formal complaint.

Do not worry they will not disclose your name.

Look after yourself Posties

If your SPDO is too small for normal scales it can be one of those spring and hook type ones that hangs from the ceiling.

[muzzy]

Everyone in our office HAS to weigh their bags and you are chastised if seen carrying 2 bags to the scales even if one is on,y a few kgs