Drivers Help!

[seeker019]

Now i'm a driver so recently we had an argument within the office,
'Who removes/replaces a wheel when you have a puncture/worn tyre?
I said 'if you can do it then do it and save time, everyone else says 'phone the garage and wait for them to send someone' for health & safety reasons.

Who's right?

[slave]

Sorry I can't be of help but would be interested to see myself - being a walk-man it's not a question I would have even considered, until it actually happened of course! And now that we are having them van duties thrust upon us 'at some point soon' information like this would be very useful to know..

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Now i'm a driver so recently we had an argument within the office,
'Who removes/replaces a wheel when you have a puncture/worn tyre?
I said 'if you can do it then do it and save time, everyone else says 'phone the garage and wait for them to send someone' for health & safety reasons.

Who's right?

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... ls#p121196" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[pinstripe]

Our drivers have been told that they should not change tyres. We have a RM garage not far from us, with qualified mechanics, who are paid to do these jobs. Now if you want to do your colleagues out of a job....

[calpsy]

100% you never do it yourself . You phone the number given for RM to come and do it .

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Now i'm a driver so recently we had an argument within the office,
'Who removes/replaces a wheel when you have a puncture/worn tyre?
I said 'if you can do it then do it and save time, everyone else says 'phone the garage and wait for them to send someone' for health & safety reasons.

Who's right?

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... ls#p121196" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

CWU Branch Official Bulletin 4 Jun 2004 Volume 9 No.22.
During the discussions with Royal Mail a number of points were agreed in relation to wheel changing by drivers:
* Royal Mail should impose whatever constraints are necessary to ensure a safe environment for employees and the general public.
* With recognition of current unofficial practices taking place there is a need to impose the necessary safety constraints on current practices and any need to change vehicle road wheels will vonly be undertaken in the following circumstances:

* Wheel changing may only be undertaken by drivers on a voluntary basis.
* Volunteer drivers must be properly trained and certified by qualified tachnicians to change road wheels.
* Safe Systems at Work will be documented.
* The office is to be equipped with a suitable hydraulic trolley jack wheel brace and torque wrench.
* The area must be level, firm and free from any uneven surface.
* The operation shall only be undertaken in a vicinity away from other vehicle movements.
* In all cases, the driver must complete a PMT1 Defect Report and ensure that the wheel(s) are properly re-torqued by VS Workshop Staff as soon as practicable, thereafter, and within am maximum of 100 miles running.
* Under no circumstances will wheels be changed on main roads or motorways in the hours of darkness, on uneven road surfaces or tracks or in busy yards and car parks in close proximity to other vehicle movements. The operation shall only be undertaken in a vicinity safe from other vehicle movements.
* Vehicles will not be driven with a flat tyre.
* Management recognise that not all drivers are able to change road wheels. All employees are entitled to refuse training and as such as instruction from their manager to change wheels, should they wish to do so.
* Training will be provided by Vehicle Services trainers.

For the full story go to CWU website and under (BOBs) Branch Officials Bulletin do a search for Wheel Changing by Royal Mail Drivers - Policy and Guidelines / Safe Systems of Work.

As your health and safety is paramount don't be pressured by managers into changing van wheels at their request unless you have first been trained and certified by a qualified technician.

[yokel]

At my office drivers change the tyres on small vans but on our transits you MUST call the breakdown service using the PDA

[k979aaa]

Don't change any wheels on any van's if the wheel come's off you will be blameworthy as royalmail put's it!. Is it worth the risk?.

[tiredwalker]

Don't change any wheels on any van's if the wheel come's off you will be blameworthy as royalmail put's it!. Is it worth the risk?.

Great in theory but have never had it work in practice always had to change myself, however I believe the officially rule correct me if i'm wrong is the garage do it, but then again when did RM ever follow the rules!

[andy2007]

More importantly: If everyone changed their own wheels. How would you know for certain that they'd bothered to have the puncture repaired, before someone else took it out?
How would you know that they tightened the Wheelbolts properly?
Too slack, and they'd work loose, and you could loose the whieel. Too tight, and they could get jammed, preventing you replacing it again next time.

It's one thing changing a wheel on your own car. But quite another, when you have several people sharing a work vehicle. And working under tight time constraints.

[not me]

now why is this even in the CWU guidelines?

* Wheel changing may only be undertaken by drivers on a voluntary basis.
* Volunteer drivers must be properly trained and certified by qualified tachnicians to change road wheels.

again putting the onus onto the frontline staff

[andy2007]

Only for those who choose to change their own wheels.

[trythat]

We've always been told to do our own wheel changes, there has been lots of arguments over this, but it always comes down to the drivers in the end. We've had some of the women told they must do it, some of them can't drag the wheel out of the van, or more importantly can't undo the wheel nuts.

I'm going to print out the text in one of the other messages and put it on the notice board.

[Lounge Lizard]

I've heard change it if yoy can remember to put all four nuts back on.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I've heard change it if yoy can remember to put all four nuts back on.

Its a Kia Actually but I do take your point about putting the right number back on