LTB 831/10 : WALK SEQUENCING PROGRAMME ; RM 2000 PREP FRAME

[POSTMAN]

No. 831/10
Ref C16
Date: 27 September 2010





To: All Postal Branches
Dear Colleagues


WALK SEQUENCING PROGRAMME - RM 2000 PREP FRAME SEATING TRIALS:

Royal Mail are currently evaluating walk sequencing seating, and are looking to conduct ergonomic assessment and user trials in a number of DO sites. Discussions have been taking place with Richard Moor Royal Mail's Walk Sequencing Programme Manager regarding the above issue which culminated in preliminary trials of seating in delivery offices receiving sequenced mail.

Feedback from these preliminary trials was recently received in a joint presentation to the Outdoor and Health and Safety Departments in a meeting at Swindon where a detailed presentation was given on the seating tests and trials to date. Several seats have now been submitted to Royal Mail for consideration by various manufacturers and it has been agreed at a pre-trial process meeting at Swindon that these will now be part of final trials and evaluation prior to national introduction. Five similar variations of the trial seats will now be allocated to 4 agreed delivery units (Brighton DO, Winchester DO, Oldham DO and Rochdale DO). It is Royal Mail's intention to work with the ASRs and Unit WSRs to assist in the testing and review. Along with the managers, Richard Moor said his team will ensure the correct setup and use of the seats to support an ideal posture and make sure staff understand why it's the intention to bring the seats into Royal Mail delivery offices.

Within the Walk Sequencing programme, Royal Mail has been testing various types of seats to assist in understanding the impact of fatigue at prep in a sequenced environment. It is important that Royal Mail understand which seat would be the most suitable for the work being completed. Royal Mail has been looking at Delivery Office seating for some time with early Phase 1 trials in Bitterne Manor (Southampton) DO which identified a requirement to evaluate alternative seating for the prep and merging of sequenced letters.

More recently Royal Mail were supplied with 150 seats from Romec Ltd, designed in the first instance by the Royal Mail ergonomists and tested in Brighton DO and Worthing DO, followed by Cottingham DO and Harehills DO. It was reported that Staff liked the seats. Things being evaluated include bulk, space requirements, posture, storage, match with RM 2000 Prep Frame, allow staff to use stool with knees under the Frame and ability to get closer to the Prep Frame for ease of reading the Frame etc.

Due to the size of the contract Royal Mail is legally bound under the OJEU (Official Journal of the European Union) process to go out to competitive tender. This has been progressing over recent months and they have now reached the stage where four suppliers have been successful and have now provided samples. (One supplier has provided two options) making a total of 5 seats. Romec sadly failed to get their tender in to Royal Mail in time and therefore are excluded from the final selection although in the meantime Royal Mail are permitted under legislation to purchase a small number of seats for operational trials and had purchased the 150 Romec seats as mentioned above which are currently being distributed and tested in DO's in the BN and SO areas in conjunction with the local ASR's.

Each Supplier has been asked to provide six samples. These are being evaluated by the Ergonomists and one of each seat type will be sent to FIRA (Furniture Industry Research Association) for testing (e.g. flammability, durability, weight test, drop test etc). The seats were provided for initial viewing and evaluation at the above mentioned meeting this month. The 5 stool type design seats were of similar design and construction; all gas strut, padded, swivel seat with adjustable tilt and height. Ergonomically designed to allow mobility without adding pressure to back and lower body with durability and comfort. Tilt and height control knob or levers fitted with 5 leg style base and silent castors. Height range was specified as 485mm - 685mm.

The proposed way forward is that one of each seat type will be retained at Swindon for reference. One of each seat type will be tested in four delivery offices in a live operation to obtain operator feedback (Brighton DO, Winchester DO, Oldham DO and Rochdale DO). This process will be managed by the Ergonomics team with support from the local ASRs and the Walk Design Group nominees. Live operational trials will then commence from w/c 4/10/2010 for 4 weeks. Following this, an evaluation questionnaire form will be completed by the users. Suppliers that have achieved the required standards will then be given the opportunity to bid for the national contract.

Further detailed points made at the recent meeting by the Walk Sequencing Design & Integration team and the Royal Mail Ergonomists was that it that they felt that the seating is essential for bench merging but also advantageous for frame merging. There are additional opportunities for sitting whilst undertaking the administrative components of the prep task. E.g. re-directions etc. Sequencing reduces the prep time required and to improve opportunities for full time jobs, many units are introducing double prep duties they reported. This could mean an individual is at the prep frame for three hours plus. Therefore they stressed that it is important to encourage staff to sit for as much of this time as possible to reduce fatigue. For this they must be provided with a suitable seat. Various seats have been tried at different DO's around the UK throughout the sequencing trials and concluded that a backless height adjustable stool is the preferred option. With semi braked castors and adjustable rake, it allows an individual to set the stool at their personal optimum position and move along the frame with a minimum of effort but retaining a good sitting posture. The seat can be easily stowed under the frame when not in use. Steve Anning Royal Mail's Walk Sequencing Design & Integration Manager stressed that the main problem is convincing delivery staff to sit down to prep. Therefore Royal Mail would expect that if provided with a comfortable seat they will be more prepared and encouraged to do so.

The CWU have been invited to be fully involved and assist with the trials, evaluation and selection process to determine which is best for the main national contract. Richard Moor Walk Sequencing Programme Manager and Steve Anning Walk Sequencing Design & Integration Manager said they believe that this requires a joint effort with the Union to select the best seat and to encourage the use of seats for the prep task and in providing a suitable piece of furniture that staff will be more inclined to use. Ergonomists Corinne Parsons and Amanda Wray will work with the WDG and ASRs to get the samples in use at the trial units.

Yours Sincerely


Dave Joyce - National Health, Safety & Environment Officer Bob Gibson - Assistant Secretary (Outdoor)

[clashcityrocker]

Romec sadly failed to get their tender in to Royal Mail in time and therefore are excluded from the final selection

How f***ing difficult is it to get a tender in on time?

[kendo1]

How Many People sit at their frame when Prepping? I have only ever known 2 peple ever?

[Robocop]

How Many People sit at their frame when Prepping? I have only ever known 2 peple ever?

I do, stand a bit, sit a bit ,I get uncomfortable in the one position. Plus if you were to stand still for 3 hours plus on the sorting/boxing in you're more likely to get varicose veins.

[DGP1]

How Many People sit at their frame when Prepping? I have only ever known 2 peple ever?

I do, stand a bit, sit a bit ,I get uncomfortable in the one position. Plus if you were to stand still for 3 hours plus on the sorting/boxing in you're more likely to get varicose veins.

How the hell are you prepping for 3 hours?

If I have to sit then I'll not be able to reach the top row, I doubt the shorter people will be able to do it either and how are you going to reach from one side of the frame to the other.

Really, these things need to be properly thought out and not just listening to one person moaning that their legs get a bit sore after standing for 20/30 minutes.

[clashcityrocker]

How the hell are you prepping for 3 hours?

Double prep and the lapsing walk.
It is possible.
But how you reach sitting down............?

[bensonhedge]

wonder how much this little exercise is costing then? they sure know how to waste money on useless shite dont they....or is it jobs for the boys

[DGP1]

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I told you, we will set it up in the naughty room when we get a chance. Bloody bolshie lot you are

[DGP1]

And you could then take it out on delivery

[viking]

It does not matter how high, low, side to side you make the seats adjust, it just still boils down to the fact that the biggest problem is repetitive strain in your shoulders and upper arms over a long period of time. When are they ever going to learn!
This type of repetitive movement is the biggest cause of a lot of problems to long serving posties, be it back, arms, legs, feet etc etc. WE ARE NOT MACHINES!

[dvbuk55]

Oh yes, yes, yes...................................................

[POSTMAN]

I never sit apart from the doing the bottom row with D2D's,with WS i will probably do the same.
As for the other parts of the frame,no chance,i'll do myself an injury with all that stretching.

[woofwoof]

I never sit apart from the doing the bottom row with D2D's,with WS i will probably do the same.
As for the other parts of the frame,no chance,i'll do myself an injury with all that stretching.

so if you wasnt supposed to be a trial office (but ended up 1) can we now send the mech back and say for 2 years we havent had a chair unsequence my mech please or get me a chair

[DGP1]

I was thinking about this, where we not supposed to merge the sequenced mail with the manual letters and flats