Be sun smart and skin safe urges CWU

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i sent this letter to our area rep.

I have serious concerns on a health and safety matter.

As you may have heard Graham Bennett, 47, died on delivery in 27C heat on Monday.

Here is a link to a newspaper article describing his tragic death.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/415744 ... ue-to-soar" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

R.I.P. Graham.

My concern is that we will soon be entering a third week of extreme heat. At ******** we have not been given any time to take heat breaks. In fact management have adopted the exact opposite policy. We are expected to do extra work. We are "utilizing" two rounds which results in pressure overtime. I say pressure overtime because we are put under immense pressure to do overtime.

The government’s health and safety website (at present I believe the government own Royal Mail) provides guidelines for working outside in the heat.

Please find link underneath.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/outdoor.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I would like to draw your attention to the following paragraph from that website.



I have underlined the areas of most concern to me.



Hot environments

Reschedule work to cooler times of the day
Provide more frequent rest breaks and introduce shading to rest areas
Provide free access to cool drinking water
Introduce shading in areas where individuals are working
Encourage the removal of personal protective equipment when resting to help encourage heat loss.
Educate workers about recognising the early symptoms of heat stress








Provide more frequent rest breaks

Due to the fact we have been given extra work and most people at ******are booking overtime to complete our deliveries we have not been allocated time for heat breaks. Imagine working four and a half hours outside in this heat without a heat break. No wonder we are dying.



Provide free access to cool drinking water

Up until Tuesday 16th July one full week into the present heat wave we were not informed we had water bottles to take out on delivery with us. The bottles were locked in a cupboard until I requested water to take on delivery at work time learning. I repeat we were not informed water bottles were available until one full week into the hottest heat wave we have had for many years. The bottles were locked in a cupboard.



One small water bottle is not enough water to last 4 hours. The water soon warms up. This is not an acceptable solution to keep us hydrated sufficiently.



Educate workers about recognising the early symptoms of heat stress

We have had no training regarding recognising heat stress.



Mark my words it is only a matter of time before another postman dies in this heat, unless Royal Mail take their duty of care to their employees seriously.



Royal mail is responsible for our health and safety at work. If nothing is done soon and someone dies at ****** due to the heat wave Royal Mail will be guilty of corporate manslaughter.



Please find link describing corporate manslaughter below.



http://www.hse.gov.uk/corpmanslaughter/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 is a landmark in law. For the first time, companies and organisations can be found guilty of corporate manslaughter as a result of serious management failures resulting in a gross breach of a duty of care.







My question to you is, what does the CWU intend to do to improve our working conditions at ****** during this heat wave?