Posties' bikes on the way out, as injuries increase

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/newshome/Ma ... 6440930.jp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Posties in our area are having to ditch their bicycles because of the possible long-term health effects of carrying a heavy bag, a top Royal Mail manager has said.
Paul Tolhurst, Royal Mail's field operations director, said the company had to consider the 'long-term muscular and skeletal impact' of carrying a mail bag.

He also said the company had seen an increase in the number of accidents on 'busy road net
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works'.

His comments came in a letter to Havant MP David Willetts, who has been fighting to stop the company replacing bicycles with vans and battery-powered trolleys, as reported by The News in June.

Mr Willetts believes pedal-powered delivery is cleaner and provides a 'personal touch'. But Royal Mail said the new £2bn regime will be more practical and green-friendly. The new system will see two posties covering an area of up to 12 miles.

The pair will arrive by van and then use collapsible trolleys to deliver to several streets.

Mr Tolhurst said: 'This mail is, of course, heavier than the traditional letter and as our people carry heavier mail bags, we have to consider the practicality of using cycles and long-term muscular and skeletal impact of placing up to 16kg on the shoulder.

'We have seen an increase in the accidents linked to the use of cycles on busy road networks.'

He added that Royal Mail workers were encouraged to cycle to work.

Mr Willetts said: 'I am quite disappointed. I have observed that postmen do have larger loads and fewer letters. I personally would imagine that cycling would keep you fit and healthy.

'Ultimately it's the decision for the individual organisation. I can't tell the post office how to deliver their letters.

'I very much hope we do not lose the sense of the community postman and woman.'

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... rease.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Postmen doing their rounds on a bicycle are risking their health, a senior Royal Mail executive has claimed.

His comments came as the organisation admitted that it was reducing the number of bicycles used by postmen because of the increasingly heavy loads they were forced to carry.
Royal Mail said that there were 1,065 injuries sustained by postmen on bicycles during 2008/9, a 14 per cent increase on the year before.

It increasingly wants postmen to ditch the traditional bicycle in favour of driving a van, pushing a trolley or a combination of both, now that more and more people send books, DVDs and other bulky goods through the post.

Paul Tolhurst, Royal Mail's field operations director, said the heavy sacks – which can weigh up to 16kg – may have to be abandoned completely because they had caused an increase in accidents.

Mr Tolhurst has written a strongly-worded letter to David Willetts Universities and Science Secretary, who had been campaigning to keep postal workers on their bikes.

Mr Tolhurst said: “This mail is, of course, heavier than the traditional letter and as our people carry heavier mail bags, we have to consider the practicality of using cycles and the long-term muscular and skeletal impact of placing up to 16kg on the shoulder at the same time.

“We have seen an increase in the accidents linked to the use of cycles on busy road networks when workers are carrying bags. It is a matter of safety.”

Mr Willetts said: "I am quite disappointed. I have observed that postmen do have larger loads and fewer letters. I personally would imagine that cycling would keep you fit and healthy.

"Ultimately it's the decision for the individual organisation. I can't tell the post office how to deliver their letters.
"I very much hope we do not lose the sense of the community postman and woman."

A Royal Mail spokesman insisted the organisation was not getting rid of all of its 14,500 bicycles but suggested over time they would be slowly replaced.

He said: "Royal Mail is making a number of changes in delivery methods as part of a £2 billion modernisation of its entire operation, and it is certainly not a straightforward switch to vans for those postmen and women who currently use bicycles."

[rhino49]

"Paul Tolhurst, Royal Mail's field operations director, said the heavy sacks – which can weigh up to 16kg – may have to be abandoned completely because they had caused an increase in accidents."

I abandoned 16 kg satchels years ago - it's the maximum allowed - NOT the maximum required !!!
I take out enough mail to get me to my first replenishment point and all my bags are well below 11kg for walking - or they are wheeled on the bike (Now tell me what the difference is between that and a trolley - apart from the fact that you can't ride a trolley to save time)

Yet I still see idiots leaving the office with 3 bags up, including one over the shoulder which is a definite NO-NO if you are cycling as it changes your balance. No one cautions them and I would suggest that the cycles are perfectly safe - it's having them ridden by idiots that is a problem.

[Lounge Lizard]

"Postmen doing their rounds on a bicycle are risking their health, a senior Royal Mail executive has claimed" - The oldest trick in the book, justifying what you want to do by saying it's necessary for health and safety.

[fishtank]

Since when did Paul Tolhurst give a sh*t about our H&S.
Not a peep out of him about H&S and suddenly he's an expert in the long-term muscular and skeletal impact of carrying a mail bag.
What studies have been done....and if they have don't we...with the twisted spines deserve to see them?
....

[brothermagrew]

You old jobsworth you brother fishtank and I thoroughly agree with your comments.

[Fishyfingers]

I tried using a high capaciy trolly instead of a bike,my back was sore 3/4 round and it took my about 45 mins longer to deliver,i'll keep my bike thanks very much

[dblad]

Mr Willetts said: "I am quite disappointed. I have observed that postmen do have larger loads and fewer letters..well the observent twat hasn't observed my bags cos they've got loads of letters in them.

[POSTMAN]

the long-term muscular and skeletal impact of placing up to 16kg on the shoulder at the same time.

So,are all the future stage warnings going to be sent back to HR then as it's obvious that tolly has admitted that carrying these sacks are a danger to our health.

I would suggest a bookmark of this thread for when you next go off sick!

Also,any chance of the CWU picking up on this?