Posties get new 'push sticks' to stop dog attacks

[Thunderthighs]

Probably gets posted by "missing finger Joe". Only kid in the class that knew his 9 times table...

Problem here is, getting to the door in the first place.

Roaming, stray and aggressive dogs are all over the place, with farmers tied-up-for-a-lifetime dogs being the worst.
Nasty, aggressive and would prob attack if they got loose.

Other side of the coin is, we had one who had been tied up for 18mths from a pup, got him from from a rescue centre.
You could NOT get a more loving, tender and obedient dog after a few months of tender-loving-care. Best dog EVER.
Passed away in Jan, me and the Mrs still heartbroken

ITSTHE OWNERS that need a prod stick, where the Sun doesn't shine!

[brothermagrew]

With regards to dogs all outdoor delivery employees should view the following Dog Risk Assessment Control Matrix (Appendix 1) in particular the section on (Dog issues at letterbox) - Note: Employee posting peg mandatory.

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... nt#p288354" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[edwardo]

i need a push stick when i go to tell my manager ( female) i might have to leave my last bag ha ha

[DB1100]

With regards to dogs all outdoor delivery employees should view the following Dog Risk Assessment Control Matrix (Appendix 1) in particular the section on (Dog issues at letterbox) - Note: Employee posting peg mandatory.

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... nt#p288354" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What happens then when your posting peg gets snatched by a dog,do you A) carry on regardless B) spend hours on the phone to your office trying to get in touch? C)Take the rest of the delivery back to the office because like you say brother posting peg mandatory.

[brothermagrew]

With regards to dogs all outdoor delivery employees should view the following Dog Risk Assessment Control Matrix (Appendix 1) in particular the section on (Dog issues at letterbox) - Note: Employee posting peg mandatory.

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... nt#p288354" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What happens then when your posting peg gets snatched by a dog,do you A) carry on regardless B) spend hours on the phone to your office trying to get in touch? C)Take the rest of the delivery back to the office because like you say brother posting peg mandatory.

DB1100 I suspect that should the formentioned occur your DOM/Line Manager would want you to pick choice A) choice B) is impracticable because nobody answers the phone or they have already buggered off home. Now choice C) would be the posties preferred choice but we both know that that will never happen or be acceptable to management.

Of course there are also options D and E. D) Knock on the door and ask for your post it peg back or E) Carry a spare with you.

[DB1100]

Thank you Brother,I am making my self one out of a piece of carpet gripper,take the nails out of one end to hold and cut a little slit in the nailed end to hold the letters,I wouldn't have thought that my version will get snatched more than once.Look out for my prototype in next months courier

[NWpostie]

Better still lace it with any hot chilli paste or even habanero chili apparently they are the most evil or the eviliest of evil "Trinidad Scorpion Butch T" pepper, watch the dog cry in pain unable to escape from the chilli in its mouth, mwahahahaha !, God I'm more evil than Darth Vader

[Pandak67]

They also come in useful for slapping kids who try to steal my rubber bands lol x

[fishtank]

Am i right in assuming you would only use the peg if you had reason to believe there was a vicious mutt behind the door ready to have your fingers off.
If that is the case why are we even attempting delivery to said address?

[MrPPatt]

Yeah - the real danger is the dog who sits quietly behind the letterbox, waiting for a fingertip to appear.

If you hear the dog barking - you won't be pushing your fingers through, will you? So the peg seems a little redundant. Even the hardiest letterbox can be posted through without fingertip incursion, if you take a little time over it. As someone said, the real health and safety problem is pressure to finish quickly.

Agree about the ripped letters too - most stupid vicious dogs will rip the letters to shreds (especially if you hold onto the other end of them - hint hint ) and the owner will remove the idiot dog from the hall or get a letter basket. Result!

Patt ;]

[liamlayor]

It's all right to get posties to accept responsibility for getting fingers bittten if they don't use the posting peg but, what happens if the animal is damaged by the stick? Whose responsibility is that? I also worry about the number of children in houses who run to the door as soon as they hear the post arriving - what would happen if we were to injure a child, for example, poke his or her eye out, with our posting stick? Would RM accept responsibility for providing us with such an ill-conceived piece of equipment then? I don't think so.

This is just a cheap, and potentially dangerous, ploy to get us to think RM care about us.

[Thunderthighs]

I thought that pushing your fingers through to push mail was "Trespassing" so...a dog biting you would have done so on it's own private turf, so wouldn't be liable etc.

So, thinking along these lines, poking your "stick" thro would also Trespass, no?

Also... what if Mrs Goggings is bending over to pick up the mail, and you notice you've another D2D and you poke your STICK through?...

[brothermagrew]

It's all right to get posties to accept responsibility for getting fingers bittten if they don't use the posting peg but, what happens if the animal is damaged by the stick? Whose responsibility is that? I also worry about the number of children in houses who run to the door as soon as they hear the post arriving - what would happen if we were to injure a child, for example, poke his or her eye out, with our posting stick? Would RM accept responsibility for providing us with such an ill-conceived piece of equipment then? I don't think so.

This is just a cheap, and potentially dangerous, ploy to get us to think RM care about us.

Royal Mail would have to accept responsibility as they have already deemed it as being mandatory.

[nando]

Simple we should nt deliver to these addresses until they get a cage or box on the wall.

[brothermagrew]

Better still brother nando where an employee experiences concern with a dog or dogs at any given address they should inform their delivery office manager or complete a hazard card and hand it in by 0730 hrs the next morning. One would then expect said DOM to update the WRAP system and if need be send the customer or owner of the dog a Dog Advisory Letter which is available to them under the WRAP system.

Basically a letter from the DOM to the customer advising them that they have become aware of a dog which is giving them some concerns. Taking the opportunity to contact them about how they can work together to resolve the problem before any formal action needs to be taken to ensure that Royal Mail continues to provide daily deliveries to their address and that no potential threat is posed to the safety of postmen or women in doing so.

The managerial aim is to identify where any real hazards or risks to the ongoing delivery of the customers mail exist and to determine the most appropriate course of corrective action. Such as the customer fitting a cage to the back of their letterbox. Royal Mail's priority is to get their customers' mail delivered safely and that they continue to do this without any unnecessary risk to their staff. If they do become aware of a potential hazard, including a dog which is causing concern, they should always make contact with the property owner to see whether there are sensible steps which they can jointly agree to make sure that their postman or woman is always able to deliver to them safely. Royal Mail therefore as a business have a duty of care to take precautionary action against instances of real or perceived threat to their employees.

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