York Capacity Review - Problems with Loose Loaded items and

[TrueBlueTerrier]

York Capacity Review - Problems with Loose Loaded items and Strapped Bundles in York Containers


No. 143/2012
Ref: 214.07/540/C25/12
Date: 29th February 2012

All Postal Branches
All Postal Divisional Representatives
Area Processing Representatives
Area Distribution Representatives
Area Delivery Representatives
Area Health & Safety Representatives

Dear Colleague

York Capacity Review - Problems with Loose Loaded items and Strapped Bundles in York Containers

Further to LTB 058/12 issued on 1st February 2012, Branches and representatives are advised that a formal review meeting took place with the business on the 16th February 2012 which was attended by Dave Joyce, National Officer Health, Safety & Environment and representatives from the three operational departments.

It was reported that consistent with the first formal review that had taken place in November 2011, no adverse reports from an operational perspective had been received in relation to Tray Loaded York Containers working to the new increased National standardised York fills of 28 trays for all York’s despatched at Outward from Mail Centres, Transported and Processed within the Logistics network and received at Inward by Mail Centres and 24 trays for all York’s despatched at Inward by Mail Centres and by Mails Processing Units for distribution to Delivery Offices. This being Royal Mail's primary objective within the York Containers Capacity Review. 

There have been however a number of Health and Safety concerns, raised by Area Safety Representatives in several locations, reporting severe problems with the loose loaded items in un-sleeved York containers (e.g. magazines, catalogues) and strapped bundles of various types.  

This loose loading has raised a significant number of Health and Safety issues in respect of manual handling, transportation and overweight Yorks.  It has become apparent that this problem is endemic throughout a majority of the Royal Mail network and it has been identified that a significant proportion of this problem can be laid at the feet of Down Stream Access (DSA) licence holders and their employees.

After investigating the complaints the conclusions were:-
Every Mail Centre and Distribution Centre faces the same problem,
Items in Loose loaded Yorks move whilst in transit, arriving in a poor condition,
Items are not safely retained by the container bars and straps,
Loose loaded items fall through the container bars and straps,
Containers snag each other because of protruding items,
Items can get damaged,
Items falling out can obstruct and jam the York Container wheels,
Sorting the loose loaded items from Yorks can present a manual handling risk,
Overweight Yorks are being caused by DSA companies’ drivers decanting work into Yorks on loading docks in an uncontrolled manner.  

Branches and representatives are advised that the CWU and Royal Mail Operations Process Design Team are extremely concerned at this development and as such are looking to develop an action plan that will eradicate this practice once and for all.

To support this activity all representatives, especially in the units where there are known to be problems, are advised to approach local management and in consultation with their appropriate Area Health & Safety Representative put in place local action plans that monitor and control the loose loading of DSA traffic.  The action plan should ensure that the obligation in regard to the current safe working practices is met by DSA licence holder drivers.

To assist with this objective attached to this LTB is advice previously issued via a BOB Paragraph from October 2005 regarding the introduction of DSA, which includes guidance in regard to safe working arrangements.  This document continues to hold the field and should now be used as a steer to support local discussions on this issue going forward.

A joint meeting is to be arranged at National level with management from Royal Mail Wholesale who are responsible for DSA contracts and their subsequent monitoring, members of the National Processing Design Team, the National Royal Mail Operations Safety Director and the CWU.  A date for this meeting is yet to be confirmed however Branches will be advised of the output/strategy that emanates from this meeting in due course.

Branches and representatives are requested to ensure that the content of this LTB is circulated to all CWU workplaces and members involved in cross docking/manual handling operations involving this particular traffic stream. 

It would also be appreciated if Branches and representatives would submit reports to their respective Officers on the current situation regarding abuse of the DSA arrangements and/or local actions plans that have been put in place to ensure that the H&S of CWU members is not compromised.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to:

Terry Pullinger, Assistant Secretary, e-mail: dwyatt@cwu.org quoting reference number 214.07

Bob Gibson, Assistant Secretary, e-mail: hnutley@cwu.org quoting reference number 540

Dave Joyce, National Health, Safety & Environment Officer, email djoyce@cwu.org quoting reference C25/12

Yours sincerely

Terry Pullinger Bob Gibson
Assistant Secretary Assistant Secretary

Dave Joyce
National Officer Health, Safety & Environment

[POSTMAN]

York Capacity Review:Is this the longest fecking review in RM/CWU history?

[DGP1]

York Capacity Review:Is this the longest fecking review in RM/CWU history?

Why would it matter, the MCs just does whatever they want, bags of mail and flats, bundles of magazines arrive nearly everyday in my DO.

[fishtank]

A bit rich them blaming the DSA mob.
DSA don't put 20 boxes of D2D on top of a box of flowers on top of 10 bags of direct flats on top of a few packets marked fragile and then get the the world's strongest man to fasten the fecker so that you have to saw through the straps with a hacksaw and dive out the way as the York explodes all over the D.O..

[not me]

York Capacity Review:Is this the longest fecking review in RM/CWU history?

Why would it matter, the MCs just does whatever they want, bags of mail and flats, bundles of magazines arrive nearly everyday in my DO.

pretty much my thought

[Lounge Lizard]

"It has become apparent that this problem is endemic throughout a majority of the Royal Mail network and it has been identified that a significant proportion of this problem can be laid at the feet of Down Stream Access (DSA) licence holders and their employees."
So stop accepting all DSA mail on Health and safety grounds. Problem solved.