accident on duty(2nd stage)

[calvindylan]

Was recently given a 2nd stage warning for having accident on duty and would just like some of your thoughts on it and if there is anything i can do. I was lifting my bag (13kg) out of van and as i put it on the ground i pulled a muscle in my back, anyway went off sick and got phone call following day to go into work to have chat about what happened.When i got to work line manager told me he would have to take photos of how i lifted bag,told him i could'nt bend so could not really show him how i done it but he took photos anyway and afterwards i explained how i lifted bag. Was signed off for 2 weeks by doc and when i went back to work got letter for 2nd stage meeting,took my union rep in with me and we told line manager how i lifted bag and that we spoke to health and safety rep and he was happy with the way i lifted bag,union rep also explained rm guidelines means accident on duty it does'nt count towards 2nd stage.Anyway week passes and manager takes me into office and said he was not satasfied that h&s was followed and he is putting me on a 2nd stage and he said there is NO appeal over his decision. My rep is now putting in a grievence against him and we want 2nd stage removed. i've worked at RM for about 16 years,and i work to my time as i have 2 young kids, and bosses don't like it so i think they are trying to get me on 3rd stage so they can sack me. Would like to know can a 2nd stage be removed? is this grievence just a waste of time? Thanks

[taxi4leighton]

have you been trained recently about lifting bags?.
and even if you have and lifted bag properly,you could have still damaged your back
your boss seems a nasty piece of work
this seems to more the case now
small-minded nasty men trying to look hard
he will get his come-uppance

[calvindylan]

Was shown a video about 1 half years ago.H&S said they were happy with the way i lifted it. The laugh of it is,my line manager has only been a boss for about 6 months and he used to be a................POSTIE!!!!!

[smelly_cat_lady]

Of course a grievance is not a waste of time! If you don't bother or 'feel silly' , management get away with the low level bullying....again. The first thing you did wrong was go back in when asked, you should have said "no I'm off sick after pulling a muscle in my back lifting a bag. Perhaps while I'm off you'd like to get the records out and show me when I last had manual handling training'
The statement that 'there is no appeal' is standard bs from management. Go for it!

[keithposty]

i take it this line manage did the ERICA report within 24 hours (48 hours on a weekend) and do you have a copy

what reason did he give in reaching his decision TO ISSUE THE STAGE 2 and that you did not follow SSOW

[calvindylan]

He took a statement the following day of what happened(that must be the ERICA report)don't have a copy. And as for the reason for issuing the 2nd stage he put in the letter following investigation i did not follow H&S procedures and it resulted in my time off. But as i said before i showed my union rep how i lifted bag and he spoke with H&S rep and he said it was correct way to lift your bag(2 hands on both ends of bag bringing bag into body then bending knees and putting on the ground) ,so there is no way of him investigating and proving i lifted it wrong as there is no witnesses.I think it is basically a case of he wants me on a 2nd stage and thats it.Oh i was lifting the bag out the back of van and putting it on ground to take my 1st bundle out when i done it,and he even said i should'nt have done it like that but have since found out he was speaking out of hIs arse AGAIN!!

[keithposty]

simple answer to this is when you go into work ask the line manager for a copy of the

ERICA REPORT

was the report done on the computer

DEMAND IT

ASK HIM IF HE IS QUALIFIED TO GIVE DECISIONS ON HEALTH AND SAFETY

THE H&S REP WILL BE MORE QUALIFIED FOR A START

let me know what he says as one of my vice is an office h&s rep

[hamishhotshot]

I was lifting my bag (13kg) out of van

was this the first bag if not it shouldnt be its supposed to be 11kg, so if you have not been informed on this change you have not recieved any training on this matter so its royal mails fault lack of training see your H&S rep

[eastie]

Problem is with these Vauxhall combo's are that after loading all the bags into the van the bags are squashed together due to too much bags and packets and you have to lean into the van and pull the bags out.
I like them to show me how I am meant to get bags out of the combo vans bending my knees
I have done my back doing this and also being 6 ft 3" it is very uncomfortable trying to get in and out of the Combo vans up to 50 times a day. The seats dont go back far enough and you have to pull yourself out of the van

[krussel]

And they wonder why RM has such a bad image.

How ever frustrating the stage 2 warning is ( and believe me I know how frustrating they are) your dom does not have to give you the option to appeal on a stage 2. You can appeal on a stage 3 but then the buggers have you fighting for your job. You’ve done 16 years and iam sure you know all this anyway, although that does not make it fair.

Lifting bags in the cold winter months can cause anyone an injury, its so easy done even if you lift the bag properly. Normally it’s the twisting motion that often does the damage. I believe your first bag can be 16k ? So you were under that.

Keep all the paper work associated with this injury. Your rep sounds good by putting in a grievance.

At the end of the day anyone can do this and your dom is an arse for putting you on a stage 2. Take it on the chin, try not to let it wind you up but REMEMBER it in the future when they want something out of you.

One last thing when you go back to work insist on a couple of weeks of light duties without heavy lifting to allow you a proper recover time. Watch the smile drop from the buggers face when you drop that one.

Best of luck mate

[calvindylan]

It was my 1st bag,but i thought it could be 16kg but don't really know as they make the rules up as they go along!!Our 2 P&L jobs are pretty heavy and like eastie says you open van doors and there is bags and pkts everywhere and they fall out the bloody door as soon as you open it,so i just do my hours now and i think that has maybe got me my 2nd stage
Cheers for all the posts and will let you guys know how this greivance thing works out,it could take a while!!

[brothermagrew]

It was my 1st bag,but i thought it could be 16kg but don't really know as they make the rules up as they go along!!Our 2 P&L jobs are pretty heavy and like eastie says you open van doors and there is bags and pkts everywhere and they fall out the bloody door as soon as you open it,so i just do my hours now and i think that has maybe got me my 2nd stage
Cheers for all the posts and will let you guys know how this greivance thing works out,it could take a while!!

First suggest you read - http://www.bailii.org/scot/cases/ScotSC/2011/26.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Secondly there should be no scope for making the rules up as they go along as there is an agreement between RM and CWU on bag weights. In a nutshell you are allowed one bag weighing 16kg and all others 11kg. The first bag does not have to be 16kg i.e. you could have six bags for a delivery they could be 11kg, 11kg, 11kg, 16kg, 11kg and 11kg. Of course there are other reductions in bag weight limits for delivering to flats etc.