No. 209/2016
6th April 2016
National Deployment/Roll-Out of the Telephone Accident Reporting Process
To: All Postal Branches
Dear Colleagues,
Branches will be aware of the recent trial that was carried out in line with the advice provided to Branches in LTB 714/15 issued on 9th November 2015.
Following the trial a meeting was held with Royal Mail on Monday 21st March 2016 regarding the results and findings of the trial, where it was agreed that the Telephone Accident Reporting process should now be deployed and rolled out nationally. This was confirmed with the carriage of PE Doc 065/16 at the statutory Postal Executive meeting held on Tuesday 5th April 2016.
The CWU have made it clear from the outset of our discussions that, the safety and wellbeing of our drivers is of paramount importance in this process, and Royal Mail readily accepts this.
Both parties recognise that when a driver is involved in a Road Traffic Accident (RTA) they may inevitably find themselves suffering from a considerable amount of shock and stress, and it is for this reason we have ensured that it must be the driver who has sole responsibility for deciding whether to make the telephone call to LEX Auto lease. It is also down to the Driver to decide whether the call is made at the scene of the accident; at a place they feel it safe to do so or back at their parent office.
The purpose of this new process is to provide all the relevant information to LEX as soon as possible so that they can pass the information on to Royal Mail solicitors, STRATA, for immediate action. The other important aspect of this process is that it should ensure that Driver’s report the accident within the designated 24 hour period following an accident, which should also support the ERICA process. We are aware that within the RTA process there are 63% of RTA’s not reported within the 24 hour period, and we firmly believe that this new process will improve the reporting process.
It is important to note that, ‘This new process does not amend the current RTA Procedure, nor does it replace the ERICA reporting process. No matter what, the ERICA process must still be followed and completed by the manager and the driver within the 24 hour period following a road traffic accident’.
The trial was carried out in three directorates; West, East and North covering c.250 delivery offices. Between November 2015 and February 2016, there was 436 accidents reported; 129 of these accidents were reported using both the telephone and ERICA, approximately 28% using this process. In 4 weeks between February to March, there was a further 110 accidents, where 45 of these were reported using the telephone and the ERICA, which is approximately 40%. This evidence indicates that whilst there was a slow pick-up in the early stages of the trial for one reason or another, the use of the telephone increased as the trial progressed.
Whilst we recognise the potential saving benefits to Royal Mail, we also recognise the benefit it adds not only to the whole reporting process, but also to the protection of Drivers.
It has been reported that there have been occasions when our members have been threatened with the conduct code, not only for not reporting the accident within the 24 hour time line, but also because they either haven’t fully or accurately reported what they believe to have actually happened at the scene of the accident, and then finding themselves being accused of deliberately distorting the facts. The new process enables Drivers to not only provide the accident information from the scene of the accident, but when they get back to their office they can change their original answer on the ERICA form if they believe their initial answer was not totally accurate. This can be done without prejudice and free from recrimination.
It is also apparent through reports from some of our CWU H&S Representatives that they are encountering difficulties regarding the ERICA reporting process and follow-up accident investigations. As mentioned earlier, we see this reporting process as an enhancement to the ERICA process which should be helpful for our H&S representatives.
Furthermore, it is made clear in the joint statement that the new process also gives protection to Drivers if they decide to use the telephone to report an accident to LEX, inasmuch as, Drivers not being held responsible for any delay to the delivery of the mail or operational failure as a consequence of making the phone call.
Overall, and with no negative response from the field following consultation with CWU representatives, we believe this new process can now be rolled out nationally with encouragement to our drivers to use the process.
The roll out will commence w/c 18th April and the supporting communications included in a WTLL session will take place w/c 11th April 2016
Any enquiries should be addressed to outdoorsecretary@cwu.org quoting reference 300.02
All supporting documentation including the National Joint Statement is contained within the zip file.
Yours Sincerely
Bob Gibson
CWU Assistant Secretary