Hi. I have worked with dogs most of my adult life having been a dog handler in the Army, a Police Officer and now a Dog Warden for the last 5 years. In my current role I routinely carry out investigations into dog attacks on postal staff. I have done research into this subject and am amazed that around 5000 postal staff are seriously attacked by dogs each year.
My view is that the majority of those attacks could have been prevented as it was known the dogs had previously been aggressive to staff.
Whilst I can appreciate the Royal Mail is a large organisation, they do appear to lack the professional knowledge in properly dealing with attacks on their staff. I am in the process of starting up my consultancy service to specifically give advice to organisations such as the Royal Mail and would relish the opportunity to give talks to staff on how to stay safe around dogs.
I have just come across the site and would like any views or advice on the best way to proceed with my venture.
If a lot of us did'nt keep getting moved from one delivery to another we would know where the dogs are. We do have walk logs where all aggressive dogs should be listed but no one has the time to read the log. What is your opinion on cat attacks?
So keep on moving, moving, moving your feet
Keep on shuf-shuf-shuffling to this ghost dance beat
Just keep on walking down never ending streets
Without wishing to sound unfair to you, you are barking up the wrong tree mate!
The problem is not in how we deal with attacks, the problem is how we prevent them. You do that by working at owner level and by changing the current dog legislation in order to help remind them.
Trying to sell some corporate training to the victims is frankly a wasted exercise although you may be able to use your skills directly at CWU Health and Safety Representative level.
The biggest problem with health & safety in this company including dog attacks is pressure.
Some of that pressure is self inflicted and some of it is management driven.
In my time with the company we have had many initiatives to deal with the threat of dogs from videos to dog pens for pushing the mail through to warning cards and the have all foundered on the rocks of pressure.
As soon as you put people under pressure they forget the cards and the videos,the pens and the good practice and they find themselves in trouble.
If you can "consult" away the pressure you'll make a fortune mate.
Stormproof wrote:If a lot of us did'nt keep getting moved from one delivery to another we would know where the dogs are. We do have walk logs where all aggressive dogs should be listed but no one has the time to read the log. What is your opinion on cat attacks?
This is one of the issues I looked at when I carried out my research. The fact is the information is out there but no one seems particularly bothered about it until they’re attacked. Unfortunately Royal Mail, Police and Local Authorities don’t share information about the owners of attacking dogs. If they did postal staff would get attacked less.
Himaggen wrote:Without wishing to sound unfair to you, you are barking up the wrong tree mate!
The problem is not in how we deal with attacks, the problem is how we prevent them. You do that by working at owner level and by changing the current dog legislation in order to help remind them.
Trying to sell some corporate training to the victims is frankly a wasted exercise although you may be able to use your skills directly at CWU Health and Safety Representative level.
Hi Himaggen. How the dog is dealt with is part of prevention. I have spoken to quite a number of postal staff after they had been attacked. When I give advice about dog aggression and behaviour the response is always “I DIDNT KNOW THAT”. My concern is why didn’t they know?
Your dead right about working at owner level, however the fact is the government has no will to change the current legislation. I will definitely look into speaking to CWU Health & Safety reps.
Thanks
fishtank wrote:The biggest problem with health & safety in this company including dog attacks is pressure.
Some of that pressure is self inflicted and some of it is management driven.
In my time with the company we have had many initiatives to deal with the threat of dogs from videos to dog pens for pushing the mail through to warning cards and the have all foundered on the rocks of pressure.
As soon as you put people under pressure they forget the cards and the videos,the pens and the good practice and they find themselves in trouble.
If you can "consult" away the pressure you'll make a fortune mate.
Hi. I do understand why and where the pressure comes from. I know the most important thing to staff is getting the work done and finishing. Unfortunately my view is Royal Mail could do be better at ensuring staff safety.
madmartin wrote:If there's a dog in the garden dont go in, there it's as simple as that :-)
I can see your point. The fact is people want their mail and some dog’s don’t want you ion their property. There lies the problem.
If the owners want their mail and the dogs dont want you on the property then it's the owners responsability to ensure the postman or anyone visiting the house is protected. Its not so much a case of training postmen how to behave or react around dogs its more a case of getting the owners to train the dogs.
The owners have a right to have their mail delivered just as postmen have a right not to get bitten by their dogs.
madmartin wrote:If there's a dog in the garden dont go in, there it's as simple as that :-)
I can see your point. The fact is people want their mail and some dog’s don’t want you ion their property. There lies the problem.
If the owners want their mail and the dogs dont want you on the property then it's the owners responsability to ensure the postman or anyone visiting the house is protected. Its not so much a case of training postmen how to behave or react around dogs its more a case of getting the owners to train the dogs.
The owners have a right to have their mail delivered just as postmen have a right not to get bitten by their dogs.
I agree. The issue is why don’t owners take responsibility? I’ve interviewed hundreds of owners of dogs that have caused injuries to staff. The majority of them in truth are irresponsible (in other words not bothered) that’s the reality. I’m not saying I’ve got the magic solution. I just think my experience and knowledge could be used to save lives and make your jobs safer.
Thanks
fishtank wrote:The biggest problem with health & safety in this company including dog attacks is pressure.
Some of that pressure is self inflicted and some of it is management driven.
In my time with the company we have had many initiatives to deal with the threat of dogs from videos to dog pens for pushing the mail through to warning cards and the have all foundered on the rocks of pressure.
As soon as you put people under pressure they forget the cards and the videos,the pens and the good practice and they find themselves in trouble.
If you can "consult" away the pressure you'll make a fortune mate.
Hi. I do understand why and where the pressure comes from. I know the most important thing to staff is getting the work done and finishing. Unfortunately my view is Royal Mail could do be better at ensuring staff safety.
Agreed . The simple answer is ,anyone threatened with a dog attack ,logs a complaint and deliveries are suspended. I don't come to work prepared for infected puncture wounds or worse. Zero tolerance ,it's not unreasonable,is it?
fishtank wrote:The biggest problem with health & safety in this company including dog attacks is pressure.
Some of that pressure is self inflicted and some of it is management driven.
In my time with the company we have had many initiatives to deal with the threat of dogs from videos to dog pens for pushing the mail through to warning cards and the have all foundered on the rocks of pressure.
As soon as you put people under pressure they forget the cards and the videos,the pens and the good practice and they find themselves in trouble.
If you can "consult" away the pressure you'll make a fortune mate.
Hi. I do understand why and where the pressure comes from. I know the most important thing to staff is getting the work done and finishing. Unfortunately my view is Royal Mail could do be better at ensuring staff safety.
Agreed . The simple answer is ,anyone threatened with a dog attack ,logs a complaint and deliveries are suspended. I don't come to work prepared for infected puncture wounds or worse. Zero tolerance ,it's not unreasonable,is it?
Point taken. My experience tells me Royal Mail tend not to suspend the mail. Without wishing to go into the politics, I think managers don’t want to. On a personal level, which is more important, delivery figures or disfigurement?
you must be better than our dog warden, he doesn't want to know, the quote was
" if he was attacked on public property then it's a job for the police, if he was attacked on private property the it's nowt to do with me"
i kid you not mate, so what the fook does he do ?
apple wrote:you must be better than our dog warden, he doesn't want to know, the quote was
" if he was attacked on public property then it's a job for the police, if he was attacked on private property the it's nowt to do with me"
i kid you not mate, so what the fook does he do ?
I dont know the circumstances of your incident. But its sounds like youve been given bad advice. The law in relation to dogs is quite complicated. If you tell me what happend ill give you my advice as it shoul be.
