Sitting at IPS frames.

[dolphinsweremonkeys]

Manager came and took our stools away from IPS frame and told us we were in violation of health and safety rules as they were placed on anti-fatigue mats. I told them to remove the mats and return the stools. They refused and were actually backed up by the H&S rep who is also our CWU rep who asked the question ' you have only started so why would you want to sit in the first place! It beggers belief. Anyhow surely there is something out there to say we must be allowed the opportunity to have a choice while doing indoor work. I for one do not want to be standing for over an hour sorting at an IPS frame then over the same at my own delivery frame. Can anyone advise.

[POSTMAN]

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[tremo]

i cant believe u would want to sit down doing ips in the first place. being a postie for 8 years and rep for 3 years no one in our office has never even asked to sit down to do ips. prepping there own frame yes but not ips.

[fishtank]

If i'm sorting flats i sometimes sit down,you can't pick up a bundle of flats and sort them so it's easier and i find faster to sit when sorting flats.
Most of the time i'm on packets anyway,if i could find some way of doing that sitting down i would.
It's hard enough to sort packets with a coffee in one hand.

[DGP1]

I can't believe anyone can sit down on IPS or prep, I'm not small but i find that I have to stretch to reach the top of the frames if I sat down............anyway, it's easier on my knees to stand

[daveyeff]

i cant believe u would want to sit down doing ips in the first place. being a postie for 8 years and rep for 3 years no one in our office has never even asked to sit down to do ips. prepping there own frame yes but not ips.

they,ve just introduced seats ''specifically'' for ips sorters at our office. mind you this is just since the indoor flow malarkey was brought in. the ips now has ALL letters and flats sorted into the same box, they are all a4 size and there is no flat sorting frames anymore. the seats are very comfortable and adjustable in height and seating position. its going to be the norm in all offices that are fully revised. as we are now sorting on the primary for longer periods as there is far less sorters. we have only 8 dedicated sorters,, 4 on each postcode that our office delivers to. as a result of this, they are sorting for at least 2hrs.15 each day. the rest of the ''ex sorters'' are now dedicated preppers or porters or packet sorters. so it will become common practice soon.

[clashcityrocker]

We've got this flow s**t.
If I sit down at an IPS frame I can't reach the top boxes.

[fishtank]

We've got this flow s**t.
If I sit down at an IPS frame I can't reach the top boxes.

As part of World Class Mail you will be encouraged to simplify your IPS and create "golden zones".
This could mean changing your IPS into a two phase system or simply locating the busiest boxes into your ergonomic golden zone and shoving the boxes that get nothing into those difficult to reach areas..
Alternatively since this flow s**t is all about matching particular skills to particular tasks...look for people with unnaturally long arms and make them your supersorters.

[clashcityrocker]

I wish you were joking.
I know you are not.
I have never heard such crap in all my life.

[fishtank]

I have never heard such crap in all my life.

I must have been to more meetings than you.
On the official crapness scale this one barely moves the needle.

[Stormproof]

The IPS frames in my office are being changed this weekend, should be chaos on Monday.

[DGP1]

I wish you were joking.
I know you are not.
I have never heard such crap in all my life.

[clashcityrocker]

This could mean changing your IPS into a two phase system

I have been wondering what that means.
It has just dawned on me that that is what we are doing in our office.
First we filter out all the mail for the rest of the country and sort it into the golden triangle boxes marked "forward".
And then we sort our own mail.
I think it would be quicker and cheaper for the MC to do this but if it is a WCM initiative I'm all for it.
Now, where's the docket?

[fishtank]

This could mean changing your IPS into a two phase system

I have been wondering what that means.

A 60+ box sort with the size of deliveries after P&L is far too complex for all but the most anal retentive of sorters.
Instead breaking it down into three frames with each sorter specialising in their own area speeds up sorting rates and reduces missorts.
Frame A would have 20 duties plus a box for B and one for C,
Frame B another 20 with a box for A and C and Frame C the last 20 duties with a box for A and B.
22 boxes per frame can fit inside your "golden zone" meaning even someone with short arms doesn't have to stretch from a seated position.
It does rely on retaining specialist knowledge on your IPS and not letting line managers borrow sorters.
It's how we used to do it 15 years ago but obviously the WCM team will take the credit for newly discovering it.
The difference is 15 years ago the mailcentre used to sort it into A,B and C for us but that's when actual work was done in a mailcentre rather than just polishing and dusting machines all day and dumping a quarter of a ton of D2D on top of a box of flowers.

[clashcityrocker]

That's crap as well.....but maybe I fall into the category of "the most anal retentive of sorters".