Dave Joyce letter after two die in severe heat

[Lincox]

The problem of summer intensive heat has been strengthening for quite a few years now. Having worked in Lincoln I remember the death of this local postie and the mass covering up of the issues and how this guy was treated.
Something must be done. I do not think anything will change unless the workforce get this matter out in to the public domain. You cannot rely on the CWU to mount a legal challenge. It needs someone to use the free services of the likes of Change.Org or 38 Degrees to organise a petition and to ask for public donations to get this matter raised in Parliament and in to the Media. Royal Mail will only act when there is a Media Investigation in to their complete lack of care for their human resources. I do not know whether this chat site has the capacity or the legal structure to take up a petition with/through one of these petitioning sites but I would have thought there must be someone who is currently employed by Royal Mail and uses this site who would be prepared to get a petition going, as this is a life and death concern for all of colleagues who are in deliveries/collections.

[yellowbelly]

The problem of summer intensive heat has been strengthening for quite a few years now. Having worked in Lincoln I remember the death of this local postie and the mass covering up of the issues and how this guy was treated.
Something must be done. I do not think anything will change unless the workforce get this matter out in to the public domain. You cannot rely on the CWU to mount a legal challenge. It needs someone to use the free services of the likes of Change.Org or 38 Degrees to organise a petition and to ask for public donations to get this matter raised in Parliament and in to the Media. Royal Mail will only act when there is a Media Investigation in to their complete lack of care for their human resources. I do not know whether this chat site has the capacity or the legal structure to take up a petition with/through one of these petitioning sites but I would have thought there must be someone who is currently employed by Royal Mail and uses this site who would be prepared to get a petition going, as this is a life and death concern for all of colleagues who are in deliveries/collections.

I would have thought that this is precisely the sort of issue that we pay our subs to CWU for....for the Media and/or H&S department
to be banging a big drum about without an individual postie having to raise a petition or go to the media.

[Lincox]

So would I. The problem is for the last 10 years or more, the CWU have not been beating that drum and people have been dying. Many more have been hounded out of the business for trying to protect themselves, some have developed mental illnesses, and still the CWU have had little effect on changing the attitudes of different Royal Mail chief executives and the way they protect their lower management against any form of criticism. Something must change if lives are to be saved.

[RTP]

The lack of air conditioning in the vans is shocking. By the letter of the law regarding security we are supposed to have the passenger window closed at all times and the drivers window no more than 1 inch open. I would like whovever is in charge of saying we don't need aircon in the vans to go out in the middle of a heatwave on a 5-6hr rural duty that has little or no shade on the round and then try telling us that we don't need aircon in the vans.

[Lincox]

Why oh why are the H&S department from the CWU not getting involved. Is there another company as prestigious as Royal Mail, buying/leasing vans and operating such vans that do not have air conditioning as a minimum. I would have thought that now the priority of their business is packets/parcels they would have made sure that vans are air conditioned to protect any items that are sent that would deteriorate in extremes of temperatures, let alone the health and safety of their employees which they are legally bound.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

bump

[mjd24]

Im already totally dreading the hot summer days. Its just a nightmare now when we’re out there every single day to at least 2pm, perhaps 1:30 on a very light day in my office (9 day fortnight). Most days im looking at 2:30-2:45 finish so its more or less 5 hours delivery, and when its 20 degrees plus its not pleasant. 30 degrees or more and its just hell.

[SpacePhoenix]

Can't remember where I read it but apparently this summer is due to be the hottest in 10 years

[Ad_bee]

At the end of the day its each to their own survival strategy since nobody else is going to do it for you/us and nobody else cares.

So, I suggest to do what people in hot climes do which is to avoid having skin exposed to sunlight and to keep hydrated.

Get a light coloured natural-fibre cap (the RM dark headware absorbs heat*) with a flap at the back, drinking water plus a spray-bottle of water to spray your wrists, legs and neck etc once and hour in a shady spot for 5 minutes and the long sleeved blue shirt with sleeves down. Plus a bite of proper nutrition.

Sounds a bit counter-intuitive but its how I've done it in the past and it works well....keeps you coooler.

*whoever designed, ordered and issued black headware for summer heat should be shot.

[2yearpostie]

Also go in earlier and use the 'flex' thing that RM always use to their advantage , use it to our advantage in summer!

[clashcityrocker]

You can't just decide to go in earlier.