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Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?

Postal workers discussion forum. Discuss the day to day life in a Blue Shirt.
CatEnthusiast13
Posts: 12
Joined: 29 Oct 2023, 20:39
Gender: Female

Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?

Post by CatEnthusiast13 »

Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?
yellowbelly
Posts: 3509
Joined: 23 Jun 2015, 15:51
Gender: Male

Re: Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?

Post by yellowbelly »

CatEnthusiast13 wrote:
12 Mar 2026, 21:34
Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?
Yes, whether they are observed is an entirely different matter.
funkflex55
Posts: 626
Joined: 04 Sep 2022, 22:58
Gender: Male

Re: Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?

Post by funkflex55 »

CatEnthusiast13 wrote:
12 Mar 2026, 21:34
Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?
Is there a particular thing that you're referring to? Every company is legally obliged to follow health and safety laws. Of course things don't always go that way but things need reporting if so.
ted_e_bear
Posts: 3824
Joined: 03 Sep 2012, 19:37
Gender: Male

Re: Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?

Post by ted_e_bear »

Yes loads, for example if you get bitten whilst posting a letter they'll refer you to the sheet you signed confirming you'd been issued a posting peg, or the video on how to approach and lift parcels that you also signed a sheet to confirm you watched.
clashcityrocker
Posts: 16214
Joined: 22 Sep 2009, 13:50
Gender: Male
Location: strummerville

Re: Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?

Post by clashcityrocker »

CatEnthusiast13 wrote:
12 Mar 2026, 21:34
Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?
Yes and we are personally responsable for enforcing them.
Wilful avoidance of basic H&S used to be a sackable offence.
The societies of consumption and squandering of material resources are incompatible with the idea of economic growth and a clean planet.
tramssirhc
Posts: 1494
Joined: 04 Sep 2012, 20:19
Gender: Male

Re: Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?

Post by tramssirhc »

CatEnthusiast13 wrote:
12 Mar 2026, 21:34
Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?
Yes we do.
"The leadership will sabotage the fight and only make the slightest move under fear of powerful working class action" - Des Warren
heraldmoth
Posts: 687
Joined: 22 Jun 2014, 15:58
Gender: Male

Re: Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?

Post by heraldmoth »

Somebody speak to this Karen, my health and safety is my own responsibility, Royal Mail has a framework to protect themselves but good god take some responsibility for yourself and colleagues
CatEnthusiast13
Posts: 12
Joined: 29 Oct 2023, 20:39
Gender: Female

Re: Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?

Post by CatEnthusiast13 »

funkflex55 wrote:
12 Mar 2026, 22:33
CatEnthusiast13 wrote:
12 Mar 2026, 21:34
Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?
Is there a particular thing that you're referring to? Every company is legally obliged to follow health and safety laws. Of course things don't always go that way but things need reporting if so.
Heya thanks
I meant in terms of whether there are still limits to maximum weight / sizes of parcels we can be expected to take?
And whether the company has a duty to provide manual handling equipment?
(E.g trolleys as in my depot theres not enough for everyone and the majority of those we have are damaged
I was just wondering since injuries are so frequent in my delivery office despite only having a small number of staff. And im not sure what the rules/ are rights actually are.
Thommo44
Posts: 202
Joined: 10 Nov 2018, 13:00
Gender: Male

Re: Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?

Post by Thommo44 »

heraldmoth wrote:
13 Mar 2026, 18:20
Somebody speak to this Karen, my health and safety is my own responsibility, Royal Mail has a framework to protect themselves but good god take some responsibility for yourself and colleagues
In any other industry, the unions hit you with a claim form before the accident investigation. Not saying it’s the right way, but companies that have a lot of claims are a lot more serious about health and safety.
2 recent accidents in my office, both should have been RIDDOR, the investigation was carried out without the union being involved
funkflex55
Posts: 626
Joined: 04 Sep 2022, 22:58
Gender: Male

Re: Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?

Post by funkflex55 »

CatEnthusiast13 wrote:
13 Mar 2026, 19:43
funkflex55 wrote:
12 Mar 2026, 22:33
CatEnthusiast13 wrote:
12 Mar 2026, 21:34
Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?
Is there a particular thing that you're referring to? Every company is legally obliged to follow health and safety laws. Of course things don't always go that way but things need reporting if so.
Heya thanks
I meant in terms of whether there are still limits to maximum weight / sizes of parcels we can be expected to take?
And whether the company has a duty to provide manual handling equipment?
(E.g trolleys as in my depot theres not enough for everyone and the majority of those we have are damaged
I was just wondering since injuries are so frequent in my delivery office despite only having a small number of staff. And im not sure what the rules/ are rights actually are.
https://www.hseni.gov.uk/articles/manua ... mum,the%20

https://www.worksafe.uk.com/manual-hand ... d-to-know/

To summarize, there are no limits to the upper weight of what should be lifted as it varies with different situations. People have differering tolerance towards lifting too which will affect it.

As far as trollies, the company has clearly identified that there is a significant risk with doing the job the way they intend and that's why the LWT are in offices. These should be available to all staff as I believe that they are supposed to be used on all loops except where the terrain doesn't allow.
tramssirhc
Posts: 1494
Joined: 04 Sep 2012, 20:19
Gender: Male

Re: Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?

Post by tramssirhc »

CatEnthusiast13 wrote:
13 Mar 2026, 19:43
funkflex55 wrote:
12 Mar 2026, 22:33
CatEnthusiast13 wrote:
12 Mar 2026, 21:34
Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?
Is there a particular thing that you're referring to? Every company is legally obliged to follow health and safety laws. Of course things don't always go that way but things need reporting if so.
Heya thanks
I meant in terms of whether there are still limits to maximum weight / sizes of parcels we can be expected to take?
And whether the company has a duty to provide manual handling equipment?
(E.g trolleys as in my depot theres not enough for everyone and the majority of those we have are damaged
I was just wondering since injuries are so frequent in my delivery office despite only having a small number of staff. And im not sure what the rules/ are rights actually are.
The CWU agreed to workers taking anything and everything. The legislation requires control of risks such as lifting and this is controlled by the use of the dynamic risk assessment. There are limits on weights that have not changed since they were agreed some time ago. You will see equipment with weight limits on it.

Equipment is provided such as high capacity and light weight trollies. Unless it is agreed otherwise the use of a LWT is mandatory on deliveries. The introduction of LWT's was the control for the risk of carrying weights. Where a bag is to be carried it should be weighed and the weight recorded with weights reducing thought the delivery span.

Where an item is identified as too heavy measures should be put in place such as a two person lift or the use of a parcel truck. Items outside of the limits (basically bigger than a York) should be dealt with by Parcelforce. Heavy and oversized items are notified to offices everyday so there should be no surprises.
"The leadership will sabotage the fight and only make the slightest move under fear of powerful working class action" - Des Warren
CatEnthusiast13
Posts: 12
Joined: 29 Oct 2023, 20:39
Gender: Female

Re: Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?

Post by CatEnthusiast13 »

tramssirhc wrote:
14 Mar 2026, 12:41
CatEnthusiast13 wrote:
13 Mar 2026, 19:43
funkflex55 wrote:
12 Mar 2026, 22:33
CatEnthusiast13 wrote:
12 Mar 2026, 21:34
Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?
Is there a particular thing that you're referring to? Every company is legally obliged to follow health and safety laws. Of course things don't always go that way but things need reporting if so.
Heya thanks
I meant in terms of whether there are still limits to maximum weight / sizes of parcels we can be expected to take?
And whether the company has a duty to provide manual handling equipment?
(E.g trolleys as in my depot theres not enough for everyone and the majority of those we have are damaged
I was just wondering since injuries are so frequent in my delivery office despite only having a small number of staff. And im not sure what the rules/ are rights actually are.
The CWU agreed to workers taking anything and everything. The legislation requires control of risks such as lifting and this is controlled by the use of the dynamic risk assessment. There are limits on weights that have not changed since they were agreed some time ago. You will see equipment with weight limits on it.

Equipment is provided such as high capacity and light weight trollies. Unless it is agreed otherwise the use of a LWT is mandatory on deliveries. The introduction of LWT's was the control for the risk of carrying weights. Where a bag is to be carried it should be weighed and the weight recorded with weights reducing thought the delivery span.

Where an item is identified as too heavy measures should be put in place such as a two person lift or the use of a parcel truck. Items outside of the limits (basically bigger than a York) should be dealt with by Parcelforce. Heavy and oversized items are notified to offices everyday so there should be no surprises.
Thanks!
Out of curiosity do many offices actually use the trolleys on all their loops?
In mine they are only used if unavoidable as it tends to take longer doing a loop with a trolley vs carrying a bad so theres not really time

And again do depots have scales installed?
I know mine doesn't have anything for us to weigh stuff with.

Just wondered whether these conditions were widespread throught the company or just limited to my area?
yellowbelly
Posts: 3509
Joined: 23 Jun 2015, 15:51
Gender: Male

Re: Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?

Post by yellowbelly »

CatEnthusiast13 wrote:
14 Mar 2026, 16:18
tramssirhc wrote:
14 Mar 2026, 12:41
CatEnthusiast13 wrote:
13 Mar 2026, 19:43
funkflex55 wrote:
12 Mar 2026, 22:33
CatEnthusiast13 wrote:
12 Mar 2026, 21:34
Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?
Is there a particular thing that you're referring to? Every company is legally obliged to follow health and safety laws. Of course things don't always go that way but things need reporting if so.
Heya thanks
I meant in terms of whether there are still limits to maximum weight / sizes of parcels we can be expected to take?
And whether the company has a duty to provide manual handling equipment?
(E.g trolleys as in my depot theres not enough for everyone and the majority of those we have are damaged
I was just wondering since injuries are so frequent in my delivery office despite only having a small number of staff. And im not sure what the rules/ are rights actually are.
The CWU agreed to workers taking anything and everything. The legislation requires control of risks such as lifting and this is controlled by the use of the dynamic risk assessment. There are limits on weights that have not changed since they were agreed some time ago. You will see equipment with weight limits on it.

Equipment is provided such as high capacity and light weight trollies. Unless it is agreed otherwise the use of a LWT is mandatory on deliveries. The introduction of LWT's was the control for the risk of carrying weights. Where a bag is to be carried it should be weighed and the weight recorded with weights reducing thought the delivery span.

Where an item is identified as too heavy measures should be put in place such as a two person lift or the use of a parcel truck. Items outside of the limits (basically bigger than a York) should be dealt with by Parcelforce. Heavy and oversized items are notified to offices everyday so there should be no surprises.
Thanks!
Out of curiosity do many offices actually use the trolleys on all their loops?
In mine they are only used if unavoidable as it tends to take longer doing a loop with a trolley vs carrying a bad so theres not really time

And again do depots have scales installed?
I know mine doesn't have anything for us to weigh stuff with.

Just wondered whether these conditions were widespread throught the company or just limited to my area?
Widespread.

If you've dared to create and login to your 'Robin' account, there's a Health and Safety page with a link to Safe Systems Of Work for deliveries (and other functions) where you can view some of the SSOW that you're referring to. Some you need an RM Intranet account login.
heraldmoth
Posts: 687
Joined: 22 Jun 2014, 15:58
Gender: Male

Re: Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?

Post by heraldmoth »

Thommo44 wrote:
13 Mar 2026, 20:00
heraldmoth wrote:
13 Mar 2026, 18:20
Somebody speak to this Karen, my health and safety is my own responsibility, Royal Mail has a framework to protect themselves but good god take some responsibility for yourself and colleagues
In any other industry, the unions hit you with a claim form before the accident investigation. Not saying it’s the right way, but companies that have a lot of claims are a lot more serious about health and safety.
2 recent accidents in my office, both should have been RIDDOR, the investigation was carried out without the union being involved
Regardless of how each unit deals post accident the initial post is more of the same from on here, people wanting theirs arses wiped. My own health and safety is and it should be the case for everyone the priority of any work day…all the policies are there, use them to make sure you mitigate any risk to yourself whatsoever for a company who doesn’t value its employees
SpacePhoenix
MAIL CENTRES/PROCESSING
Posts: 11793
Joined: 12 Nov 2008, 17:03
Gender: Male

Re: Do we actually have any health and safety protections/ rules in this job?

Post by SpacePhoenix »

tramssirhc wrote:
14 Mar 2026, 12:41
Heavy and oversized items are notified to offices everyday so there should be no surprises.
Must be just stuff that's come over from PF. They don't get weighed in MCs.