Delivering parcels in the dark

polar bear · Post by **polar bear** » 09 Dec 2018, 18:29

My manager wants me to work from 1pm and not finishing till around 8pm.
After a week of doing it I’ve realised how difficult it is and I don’t like finishing at this time.
When it gets dark, it’s impossible to see door numbers and I m constantly getting out the van and going up to a door to see a number it’s horrendous. Also it’s difficult to read the addresses on the parcels. It takes ages.
Is this against health and safety

number one · Post by **number one** » 09 Dec 2018, 18:41

No it isn’t against Health and Safety, did they give you 28 days notice for a change of hours?

daveyeff · Post by **daveyeff** » 09 Dec 2018, 18:42

we did it last year, got a couple of torches from the pound shop.

DGH · Post by **DGH** » 09 Dec 2018, 18:43

Parking, getting out of a van and approaching a door in the dark isn't unreasonably risky and, so long as you are careful and due time has been allowed for care, it can't be so dangerous as to be a H&S issue.

It would though be worth raising the point that it takes much longer in the dark and so fewer parcels can reasonably delivered within a given time frame.

daveyeff · Post by **daveyeff** » 09 Dec 2018, 18:46

well I tripped over in the dark because of a step I didn't see in the blackness.....hence the torches. but they should provide these if they expect you to work in the dark.

Hitcher · Post by **Hitcher** » 09 Dec 2018, 19:00

daveyeff wrote:well I tripped over in the dark because of a step I didn't see in the blackness.....hence the torches. but they should provide these if they expect you to work in the dark.

They should have them for you to use.

Post by **CPTNemoUK** » 09 Dec 2018, 19:01

I did this a couple of years ago. Absolutely hated it, working in the dark is tough and dangerous. What made it worse was you loads the van up all in order and when you got round the first corner you can hear them all go all over the place. Then you had to look for them in the back of a dark van.

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 09 Dec 2018, 19:16

We were told last year to return to the DO when it gets dark or unreasonably dark to read the mail . This policy will stand this year as well. We have moved the start times forward by 24 minutes (SWW !!??!!??)for the Xmas period this year and have an additional two hours of early IPS most days to take the edge off and attempt to get everything delivered. So far it has been successful but I expect the full crescendo of mail is yet to hit us all.

worktotime · Post by **worktotime** » 09 Dec 2018, 19:32

polar bear wrote:My manager wants me to work from 1pm and not finishing till around 8pm.
After a week of doing it I’ve realised how difficult it is and I don’t like finishing at this time.
When it gets dark, it’s impossible to see door numbers and I m constantly getting out the van and going up to a door to see a number it’s horrendous. Also it’s difficult to read the addresses on the parcels. It takes ages.
Is this against health and safety

no it isn't , but you have the right to say no as your not happy with the risk , then ask your f.t and full release h&s rep to access the risk of working in these conditions . then its down to then , so cover your own back in case anything happens .

worktotime · Post by **worktotime** » 09 Dec 2018, 19:39

number one wrote:No it isn’t against Health and Safety, did they give you 28 days notice for a change of hours?

its not a case of 28 days notice as that makes no difference if you think its not safe working in these conditions and if you personally think its a h&s issue then you involve them that's why they are there . I think some people need to look more into h&s before giving there advice , regardless what the dims say.

worktotime · Post by **worktotime** » 09 Dec 2018, 19:42

polar bear wrote:My manager wants me to work from 1pm and not finishing till around 8pm.
After a week of doing it I’ve realised how difficult it is and I don’t like finishing at this time.
When it gets dark, it’s impossible to see door numbers and I m constantly getting out the van and going up to a door to see a number it’s horrendous. Also it’s difficult to read the addresses on the parcels. It takes ages.
Is this against health and safety

just take them back if your struggling .

twoloops · Post by **twoloops** » 09 Dec 2018, 19:43

Just say no

Post by **SpacePhoenix** » 09 Dec 2018, 19:47

Could it become the norm eventually if LAT gets popular enough, with all DO delivery duties being moved back so that the LAT items can be delivered as part of the normal workload and not be special duties?

number one · Post by **number one** » 09 Dec 2018, 19:47

worktotime wrote:
number one wrote:No it isn’t against Health and Safety, did they give you 28 days notice for a change of hours?
its not a case of 28 days notice as that makes no difference if you think its not safe working in these conditions and if you personally think its a h&s issue then you involve them that's why they are there . I think some people need to look more into h&s before giving there advice , regardless what the dims say.

Working in the dark is NOT a health and safety issue! Go ahead and involve them all you want, they will tell you the same!

worktotime · Post by **worktotime** » 09 Dec 2018, 20:07

number one wrote:
worktotime wrote:
number one wrote:No it isn’t against Health and Safety, did they give you 28 days notice for a change of hours?
its not a case of 28 days notice as that makes no difference if you think its not safe working in these conditions and if you personally think its a h&s issue then you involve them that's why they are there . I think some people need to look more into h&s before giving there advice , regardless what the dims say.
Working in the dark is NOT a health and safety issue! Go ahead and involve them all you want, they will tell you the same!

im not saying it is as long as you are given the tools to do so , but if he has an h&s issue then it does . dogs etc its the same as a postie working a normal daily shift ,