Drivers Help!

[seeker019]

Thanks chappies, so phone someone in the garage or do it yourself when you've had training.

Another argument will begin quite soon me thinks

[Lounge Lizard]

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

- so that's where the spare nut's from.

[DGP1]

No offence Teebs but that's just a hub cap and as such is just plastic, you should have used this


That's from a Porsche 911

[DGP1]

Going through several other pictures for wheels I found this

[brothermagrew]

fOR THE FULL 2004 ARTICLE WHICH IS NO LONGER ON THE REVAMPED CWU WEBSITE AT LAST I CAN'T FIND IT.


CWU BRANCH OFFICIALS BULLETIN 4 JUN 2004 VOLUME 9 NO.22

HEALTH AND SAFETY
365
Wheel Changing by Royal Mail Drivers - Policy and Guidelines/Safe Systems of Work

A number of enquiries have ben received on the above subject and this advice is being issued for the information and assistance of Branches and Area Safety Representatives. The subject has been a continual problem for us with lots of unofficial and unsanctioned wheel changing going on a via a mixture of local management pressure, staff acquiescence and local agreements. Subsequently national epresentations produced a new National Policy and Guidelines and Safe Systems of Work issued by Royal Mail in 2002.

The background is that there never existed a National Agreement between Royal Mail and the CWU for drivers to change wheels, however drivers previously had as a condition of employment a "written" obligation to change wheels and this was set out in the Postal Instruction PI M3F 5000, paragraph 3.5 which stated "drivers will be responsible for changing wheels in accordance with existing instructions and procedures". However this was never universally implemented and the custom and practice in the vast majority of Offices and on the road has been that Vehicles do not carry spares and Drivers do not change wheels. Wheel changing had been left to the Vehicle Services MT workshops staff in general.

In view of the above therefore, Management nationally have never in the past attempted to train Drivers in Safe Systems of Work or provide the proper equipment to drivers. However, in recent years it was discovered that unofficial practices unsanctioned either by National Management or CWU HQ have been taking place in a number of various locations, particularly isolated, rural delivery offices. With that in mind, Royal Mail nationally became conscious of the need to act one way or another for four main reasons; Firstly, Royal Mail were being pressed by CWU HQ to stamp out unsafe local practices. Secondly, a number of accidents occurred where Solicitors succeeded in securing personal injury damages for members injured because Royal Mail had been negligent in allowing untraied, ill-equipped drivers to change wheels. Thirdly, a clearly signalled drive by the Health and Safety Executive to clamp down on work related road safety. Fourthly, Royal Mail saw a need to contain the costs associated with continually calling out to the Workshop staff on every occasion. These reasons brought heavy pressure and a focus on the need to resolve the matter.

From a Health and Safety point of view, Royal Mail must take particular care to ensure that workers are trained, have a safe system of work and understand Health & Safety instructions. Royal Mail have a legal duty to train employees to use work wequipment and that the equipment is safe. Official vehicles are defined as work equipment under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998 which impose a duty on the employer to ensure the vehicle is maintained in a saf condition.

During the discussions with Royal Mail a number of points were agreed in relation to wheel changing by drivers:

* Royal Mail shall 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 only 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 technicians 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 a 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.
* 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.

Royal Mail's initial proposal was for drivers to change wheels on all vehicles up to those requiring an "O" Licence, including twin rear wheeled types. Some of these vehicles are quite large as you will know. We counter-proposed that wheel changing be resricted to car-derived 80 c.f / 100 c.f sized vehicles only in emergency situations. Eventually Royal Mail reduced their demands significantly down to 150 c.f and excluding all twin rear wheeled types.

See attachment G44 for the following documnts:
1. Wheel Changing by Postal Drivers Policy and Guidelines
2. Safe Systems at Work
3. Wheel Training Specification.

Any enquiries should be addressed to Dave Joyce, National Health, Safety & Environment Officer, quoting reference No. V4.
Att: G44

**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************


So there we have it, unless you have been properly trained and certified by qualified technicians to change road wheels then you should not be doing it as it is unofficial and unsanctioned. Do not acquiesce to any form of local managerial pressure or any previous local agreements on wheel changing.

Remember your safety is paramount and in the past Solicitors have lodged personal injury claims for damages due to CWU members getting injured whilst changing wheels.

[stokes11eg]

No offence Teebs but that's just a hub cap and as such is just plastic, you should have used this


That's from a Porsche 911

Wheelie good pics, D.G.P.