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Walk sorting machines

Postal workers discussion forum. Discuss the day to day life in a Blue Shirt.
24601
Posts: 325
Joined: 14 May 2007, 16:06
Gender: Male

Re: Walk sorting machines

Post by 24601 »

tetley smooth wrote:Six operators is two per machine, RM standard is 1.5. Two ops per machine should make job a snip. Why are the others not assisting or running the machine?
Like I said theres loads of other work for us to do in the DO when we're not on the machine. We are only allowed 1 op per machine at any time.

2 of our shifts are 22:00-06:00 and 1 operator covers a drive from 04:00-08:00 so 3 ops run 3 machines on the 2nd wave which can take up to 3.5 hours.
tetley smooth
MAIL CENTRES/PROCESSING
Posts: 79
Joined: 27 Sep 2010, 11:44
Gender: Male

Re: Walk sorting machines

Post by tetley smooth »

24601 wrote:
tetley smooth wrote:Six operators is two per machine, RM standard is 1.5. Two ops per machine should make job a snip. Why are the others not assisting or running the machine?
Like I said theres loads of other work for us to do in the DO when we're not on the machine. We are only allowed 1 op per machine at any time.

2 of our shifts are 22:00-06:00 and 1 operator covers a drive from 04:00-08:00 so 3 ops run 3 machines on the 2nd wave which can take up to 3.5 hours.
well your being done over, your rep should point out the health and safety aspects.
Also there is a job for someone going as well that he should point out either on the machine or on the drive.
Like i said earlier if you have a accident, get clothing caught etc there is nobody else to push stop button, RM will not accept liability.
In the MC i will admit that the managers are all super keen on H&S, and would not allow the machines to run understaffed.
24601
Posts: 325
Joined: 14 May 2007, 16:06
Gender: Male

Re: Walk sorting machines

Post by 24601 »

tetley smooth wrote:
24601 wrote:
tetley smooth wrote:Six operators is two per machine, RM standard is 1.5. Two ops per machine should make job a snip. Why are the others not assisting or running the machine?
Like I said theres loads of other work for us to do in the DO when we're not on the machine. We are only allowed 1 op per machine at any time.

2 of our shifts are 22:00-06:00 and 1 operator covers a drive from 04:00-08:00 so 3 ops run 3 machines on the 2nd wave which can take up to 3.5 hours.
well your being done over, your rep should point out the health and safety aspects.
Also there is a job for someone going as well that he should point out either on the machine or on the drive.
Like i said earlier if you have a accident, get clothing caught etc there is nobody else to push stop button, RM will not accept liability.
In the MC i will admit that the managers are all super keen on H&S, and would not allow the machines to run understaffed.
Are we the only bloody office in the country running 1 operator to a machine. Looking at OEE results it would appear so.
I think we should be told !!!!
fishtank
Posts: 19732
Joined: 28 Sep 2007, 17:22
Gender: Male

Re: Walk sorting machines

Post by fishtank »

3. Staffing Levels

The following minimum core staffing levels have been confirmed on the experience gained from running the CSS and iLSM operation at the trial offices.

3.1 CSS Machines

Each machine will always be manned by one operator when sequencing mail. Duty arrangements will be scheduled to rotate operators between the CSS activities and other work. The normal approach to this will be to schedule the operation between two people so that individuals only work for approximately 2 hours on the machine followed by 2 hours on other associated work. All duty structures will be subject to agreement locally.

3.2 iLSMs

Each machine will be manned by three operators (one on the feeder and two on the sorters), and separate porters will need to be specified and available for the feeder and sorters. There will be a minimum 5 people trained per iLSM. Duty patterns will be structured to ensure that individuals rotate around the roles during their shift; this will be mandatory. All duty structures will be subject to agreement locally.

3.3 Overall Staffing

The final staffing requirements for each Mail Centre will be agreed at Local Level because the minimum core levels above may need to be increased depending on the plans being run, the traffic being processed or additional porterage required.
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24601
Posts: 325
Joined: 14 May 2007, 16:06
Gender: Male

Re: Walk sorting machines

Post by 24601 »

Are Bolton & Crewe using 2 ops on a machine or 3 on 2 machines ?? Their 80% + OEE is being flagged up as the score to go for. We're working our cobs off to get 72% using single operator. Don't we all work forthe same company ???
BettySwollocks
Posts: 346
Joined: 01 Oct 2007, 16:12

Re: Walk sorting machines

Post by BettySwollocks »

No idea about Bolton or crewe,
but theres so many different factors that impact on your figures,
if u get many incorrectly batched box's of mail, like we did (until recently) rejects seem to have quite a severe impact on the perfomance percentage,
not sure how true it is, but i was told by one driver who was dropping mail off at our place, that one of the leading offices only runs one wave ?!
sequencing mail will give u a higher score than walksorting it, so if they aren't doing a 2nd wave, they aren't walksorting anything.
tetley smooth
MAIL CENTRES/PROCESSING
Posts: 79
Joined: 27 Sep 2010, 11:44
Gender: Male

Re: Walk sorting machines

Post by tetley smooth »

when we where trained on css we where told that to double batch you had to have two operators. That is the standard taught. We only measure the OEE on the 1st wave which is approx 70% of the mail. We do walksort on wave 2 for the Dely offices that have not yet implemented their revisions, any offices that have their revisions in place are sequenced. If you are hitting 70% plus as a single operator you are either very fast and efficient operators or very silly running up your own arse operators. Either of which RM love.
fishtank
Posts: 19732
Joined: 28 Sep 2007, 17:22
Gender: Male

Re: Walk sorting machines

Post by fishtank »

tetley smooth wrote: If you are hitting 70% plus as a single operator you are either very fast and efficient operators or very silly running up your own arse operators. Either of which RM love.
...but much like the delivery officer running round his duty.....not a very smart operator. :cuppa
good times, bad times you know I've had my share
24601
Posts: 325
Joined: 14 May 2007, 16:06
Gender: Male

Re: Walk sorting machines

Post by 24601 »

tetley smooth wrote:when we where trained on css we where told that to double batch you had to have two operators. That is the standard taught. We only measure the OEE on the 1st wave which is approx 70% of the mail. We do walksort on wave 2 for the Dely offices that have not yet implemented their revisions, any offices that have their revisions in place are sequenced. If you are hitting 70% plus as a single operator you are either very fast and efficient operators or very silly running up your own arse operators. Either of which RM love.
If you load up in front of stackers 12-18 while the 3rd pass is running,clear down to 12,bring the loaded mail down to the front and start the machine its about a 4 minute turnaround which will give a OEE of about 70%.

The 'very silly running up your own arse operators' are the ones who load up the belt as well,start up the next batch within a minute and clear down by reaching over the loaded mail - now that is silly !!!! Might be OK now but a few years down the line severe back problems are probable with no claim owing to totally ignoring safe systems of work.
dvbuk55
EX ROYAL MAIL
Posts: 16650
Joined: 02 Jun 2007, 19:17
Gender: Male

Re: Walk sorting machines

Post by dvbuk55 »

Just as a matter of interest what would be RMs position on an insurance claim if the worker was NOT using the proscribed, directed and trained method of carrying out a task either on the CSS machines or delivery. I'm pretty sure they would fight tooth and nail to pay a reduced compensation because of a failure to follow SOP.
General Mannerheim
EX ROYAL MAIL
Posts: 2299
Joined: 14 Dec 2007, 13:10
Gender: Male
Location: Stalag 17

Re: Walk sorting machines

Post by General Mannerheim »

Bolton are you taking the piss!

You mean the one where half the stuff goes firstly onto IPS to be sorted and then the rest goes back to manchester to be sent down again the next day!
And half the time the posties get mail in trays that are supposed to be walk sorted but arn't :speak to the hand .

Has that Iraqi war information minister got a job at Royal Mail?
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24601
Posts: 325
Joined: 14 May 2007, 16:06
Gender: Male

Re: Walk sorting machines

Post by 24601 »

dvbuk55 wrote:Just as a matter of interest what would be RMs position on an insurance claim if the worker was NOT using the proscribed, directed and trained method of carrying out a task either on the CSS machines or delivery. I'm pretty sure they would fight tooth and nail to pay a reduced compensation because of a failure to follow SOP.

SOP is there for precisely that reason. Choosing to ignore it is pretty daft.

Like always its fine till something goes wrong.
Boy May
Posts: 5
Joined: 18 Jan 2010, 14:59
Gender: Male

Re: Walk sorting machines

Post by Boy May »

Trying to work out if were getting a good deal or not reading this !

Started CSS just 3 weeks ago

2 crews - 3 operators in each - rotating 4 day shift

2 Machines

1 operator per machine with one floating between machines

4 offices covered total of 14 batches per wave - 2 waves sequencing both

Wave 1 averaging 29 trays a batch - Wave 2 - 10/14 a batch

Shift hours are 11pm - 9am - 4 days on 4 days off (being reviewed shortly)

Were attempting to double batch the whole shift to make dispatch times and on both waves - At the mo (being new) struggling to get break at all Tuesday onwards !

I know it goes against SOP and H&S but that aside do we seem well off to others or not ?

Also could others please enlighten me as to how their shift patterns work ?

Cheers :Very Happy
bendover
Posts: 17
Joined: 24 Oct 2009, 19:15
Gender: Male

Re: Walk sorting machines

Post by bendover »

At our place its 3 machines doing 8 batches a night.This is run by 1 operator on each and one floating between them to help double batch. 10 till 8 on sunday and 11.30 till 9.30 mon to fri.we work for about 3 hours then take in turns for 15 min break.then about 4.30 or 5 ish we have a meal break together for half hour then get sorted for 2nd wave.That turns up bout 6.15 and we finish about 7.30-8 then clean machines and finish.
24601
Posts: 325
Joined: 14 May 2007, 16:06
Gender: Male

Re: Walk sorting machines

Post by 24601 »

Is that 8 batches per machine ??