Is there a maximum limit on the number

[pinstripe]

Is there a maximum number of trays that can be loaded on a york?

We have always been told it is 20.

I'm sure I've seen notices which state 20.

After opening my issue of The Courier (I was checking my 'unlucky' scratchcard, honest) there was a WCM update with not one, but two photos of yorks filled with 28 trays.

So what is the official ruling on this?

[clashcityrocker]

The york holds 28 trays.
The SSOW is 250kg I think.

[PhilthyPhil]

There was a review at the end of last year and the guideline is now 28 for network and 24 for MC to DO. Of cause the mass of the york still must not exceed 250kg.

Have a look at the York container SSOW for more info http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 36&t=41542" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[pinstripe]

Thanks, another question.

Are all the yorks weighed before they are loaded onto the lorries? If not, how can we be sure that the vehicle is not overloaded?

[Budfrog]

There is actually a Max weight per Tray which is I believe 10Kg.

Excluding the York itself that would mean if each tray were at the Max this would total 240Kg (at 24) and 280Kg (at 28). Surely the Max Kg per Tray needs to be reduced as the Tare Weights of Yorks are 50Kg and 40Kg (for the Mk 3 lightweight version).

If each tray was at Max on a 50Kg York with 28 Trays this would equate to 330Kg a Whopping 80Kg over the Max

[pinstripe]

That's what I thought Budfrog.

We were told that we couldn't put more than 20 trays on a york because we couldn't know the total weight of the york. When the drivers come to load up their lorries, they could be adding an extra, for arguments sake, 50kg per york, 15 yorks would mean 750kg more than the driver thought. An extreme example I admit, but until I have it in writing, I think I'll just stick to the 20 trays max, if someone has an accident, it's not going to be because of me.

[fishtank]

JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL AND CWU ON
INCREASING THE STANDARD VOLUME OF TRAYED MAIL
DESPATCHED ON YORK CONTAINERS

Introduction
Following a large scale sampling operation and industrial study at 11 Mail Centres to prove the average weight of trayed mail for each traffic stream and product and following detailed discussions between Royal Mail and the National CWU regarding all aspects of safety it is intended to increase the standard volume of trays despatched on York containers.

Background
Currently the majority of Letter and Large Letter mail is received, transferred between work areas and despatched in trays in Yorks. The Safe System of Work for a York container volume and fill states that ‘No container to be filled above the top of the container and must be loaded within the weight limit’.

It was identified that the current method of operation for the number of full trays carried in York Containers varied from 20 or less up to 28. The object of the review was to establish via an industrial study and practicable application a generic standard for the number of trays that can be safely accommodated in a York taking into account the safe working weight of 250 kgs per container.

This adopted fill, whilst most certainly meeting the fill and volume criteria, does however under utilise our asset and increases our required capital expenditure, as well as creating additional Yorks to be needlessly transported through our network. Additionally by under filling the York containers time is wasted within Mail Centres and Delivery Offices needlessly moving equipment from one point to another.

Operational Change
The new standards to adopted by all Mail Centres will be:
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.

The sampling exercise has shown that for the vast majority of Yorks despatched the gross weight for a York will not be exceeded. There will, as always be times and mail types, that will force the gross weight to be exceeded if the standard fill is rigidly adhered to. The maximum weight of a York container MUST NEVER be exceeded in any circumstances.

If a York is believed to be overweight it should be weighed using scales available in each mail centre (regardless of how far these are away from the despatch point) and where necessary have its contents broken down into another York until the weight is within the maximum allowable level THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS PERMISSABLE TO THIS WEIGHT STANDARD AND OFFICES FAILING TO COMPLY WILL BE PUTTING ALL STAFF AT RISK FROM OVERWEIGHT CONTAINERS.

Safe Systems of Work (SSOW)
As part of the in depth safety review around increasing the trayed volumes on Yorks a review of the Safe System of Work (SSOW) has been undertaken jointly between Royal Mail and CWU Health and Safety experts. A copy of this updated SSOW document is attached. This should be shared with all staff and a record of them having received and understood its contents should be kept on file for audit purposes.
This updated Safe System of Work also includes the movement of a York container by individuals who cannot see over the top of the equipment due to the increase in trayed mail. This way of moving the York has been evaluated and agreed as safe by Royal Mails Ergonomists, Safety Experts and the National CWU Health and Safety Representatives.



Traffic Recording (MIST)
Detailed instructions regarding the recording of traffic based on these revised York fills are attached. All offices will introduce the new traffic recording instructions at the same time regardless of where they sit in the deployment programme.


Timescales
The new standard will be able to be deployed from the 30th August 2011.
Local discussions will take place in line with the IR Framework to introduce any adjustments that may/will be required including, where necessary, any supplementary operational/safety training.
It is acknowledged that all locations should aspire to introduce the new standard with in a reasonable timeframe however where specific local issues may delay/defer the introduction of the new standard this these should be flagged up to the respective Departments at Royal Mail and CWU Headquarters.

In addition to the above, the deployment of the new standard will be monitored locally and reviews involving all relevant local partiers should be time scaled to support the deployment activity. The output from these Local Reviews will be fed into a Formal Review that will be scheduled no later than four weeks after the 30th August 2011.


Vehicle Loads
Analysis has shown that the increased York fills reduces the number of Yorks that can be loaded on to a 7.5t vehicle by on average one York i.e. if you currently load 13 Yorks then after the increase this will reduce to 12. The Driver is at all times responsible for ensuring the maximum load weight of their vehicle is not exceeded. Vehicles should, where possible, always be loaded as full as possible PROVIDING THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT ALLOWABLE FOR THE VEHICLE IS NOT EXCEEDED

Base data Annual Review
The data used to increase the York fills will be subject to validation on an annual basis. Annual sampling exercises will be undertaken to ensure operation and safety criteria are not compromised.




…………………………… ……………………………
Francis Williams Phil Browne
Royal Mail CWU

Date……………………… Date..24th August 2011……




……………………………
Terry Pullinger
CWU

Date..24th August 2011……

[Budfrog]

The sampling exercise has shown that for the vast majority of Yorks despatched the gross weight for a York will not be exceeded. There will, as always be times and mail types, that will force the gross weight to be exceeded if the standard fill is rigidly adhered to. The maximum weight of a York container MUST NEVER be exceeded in any circumstances.

If a York is believed to be overweight it should be weighed using scales available in each mail centre (regardless of how far these are away from the despatch point) and where necessary have its contents broken down into another York until the weight is within the maximum allowable level THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS PERMISSABLE TO THIS WEIGHT STANDARD AND OFFICES FAILING TO COMPLY WILL BE PUTTING ALL STAFF AT RISK FROM OVERWEIGHT CONTAINERS.

This is rubbish, what they are saying is that they know the weight WILL be exceeded from time to time, but MUST NOT be exceeded. Leaving it all down to the individual to assess (I'm sure our Christmas Staff will be really good at this one). Trays are not like Bags ... they don't look 'heavy' or 'light'.

Why not make it bullet proof and state the weight of the trays at 10Kg plus the tare of the York at 50Kg must not exceed 250Kg ie 20 Trays, to save money and TO COMPROMISE SSOW. RM are supposed to moving towards a safer environment, I don't think so. They only act on safety when they are forced to or it suits them politically.

If you want to see how seriously RM takes Health and Safety check the tail-lifts on the Christmas hire vehicles ...

[POSTMAN]

From memory,the pic in the courier is a joke,how are some of us supposed to see above all those trays?

[PhilthyPhil]

Its no different to a york with an ALPS fitted. If you can't move a full york safely because you can see over it then don't move it :)

[fishtank]

The weakness in the system as always is the need to rely on everyone in the chain doing their job properly.
If you receive a York from the mailcentre with 24 trays on it you need to trust that the person who loaded it did not put 24 full 10kg trays on the York as it is very difficult to see once it is loaded.
To be honest overweight Yorks with trays are very unusual,Yorks full of D2D are more of a problem as there seems to be a tendency to "top off" these Yorks with direct bags of flats and large packets to save a bit of space.
This shouldn't be happening because these D2D Yorks have normally already been loaded to weight capacity.