Accident at work

bo72 · Post by **bo72** » 21 Apr 2019, 17:42

I have had an accident which resulted in minor injury. When I reported it to my manager he encouraged me not to report it as I would face disaplinary proceedings because I had a similar accident a few years ago. At first I thought he was being helpful but on reflection I wonder whether it is a ploy to keep the number of accidents in our office at a minimum, he told be that they have a target to reduce accidents this year. At previous places I have worked we have always been encouraged to report accidents so the information gained can be used to reduce future accidents. I have never been threatened with disaplinary action before for reporting accidents. Is this normal at royal mail or is he trying to fob me off?

Postie45 · Post by **Postie45** » 21 Apr 2019, 17:56

depends, were you at fault for either accident ? or was it due to company negligence ?

Post by **Brandy** » 21 Apr 2019, 17:57

bo72 wrote:I have had an accident which resulted in minor injury. When I reported it to my manager he encouraged me not to report it as I would face disaplinary proceedings because I had a similar accident a few years ago. At first I thought he was being helpful but on reflection I wonder whether it is a ploy to keep the number of accidents in our office at a minimum, he told be that they have a target to reduce accidents this year. At previous places I have worked we have always been encouraged to report accidents so the information gained can be used to reduce future accidents. I have never been threatened with disaplinary action before for reporting accidents. Is this normal at royal mail or is he trying to fob me off?

Yes I am sorry to say,but it is normal for RM,it is a disgrace. It never used to be like this years ago.

bo72 · Post by **bo72** » 21 Apr 2019, 18:28

Postie45 wrote:depends, were you at fault for either accident ? or was it due to company negligence ?

I miss judged a step and twisted my ankle. The previous one I stepped in a puddle that was actually a hole. Seems that means I am at fault.

Seymour Buts · Post by **Seymour Buts** » 21 Apr 2019, 23:15

Were you reading while walking or taking a short cut? It would be considering your fault. He's probably doing you a favour in truth, what exactly is the benefit or reporting it?

gimba · Post by **gimba** » 21 Apr 2019, 23:26

postietom wrote:Were you reading while walking or taking a short cut? It would be considering your fault. He's probably doing you a favour in truth, what exactly is the benefit or reporting it?

To cover yourself if it happens again / any lasting injuries that the company should sort out

bo72 · Post by **bo72** » 22 Apr 2019, 09:07

postietom wrote:Were you reading while walking or taking a short cut? It would be considering your fault. He's probably doing you a favour in truth, what exactly is the benefit or reporting it?

I wasn't walking and reading, taking a short cut and I was wearing royal mail foot wear. I can see that bareing in mind royal mail's policy on these matters he is probably doing me a favour. It just seems wrong to be that we should be discouraged from reporting accidents in this way. Old hands who are aware of this situation probably don't bother reporting accidents, which is great for the business because it makes their health and safety record look better than it actually is. I wonder what the HSE would think if they knew postmen were not reporting accidents because they are too scared of the consequences?

Newbie001 · Post by **Newbie001** » 22 Apr 2019, 14:20

bo72 wrote:
postietom wrote:Were you reading while walking or taking a short cut? It would be considering your fault. He's probably doing you a favour in truth, what exactly is the benefit or reporting it?
I wasn't walking and reading, taking a short cut and I was wearing royal mail foot wear. I can see that bareing in mind royal mail's policy on these matters he is probably doing me a favour. It just seems wrong to be that we should be discouraged from reporting accidents in this way. Old hands who are aware of this situation probably don't bother reporting accidents, which is great for the business because it makes their health and safety record look better than it actually is. I wonder what the HSE would think if they knew postmen were not reporting accidents because they are too scared of the consequences?

I find that fatigue causes this for me. Usually about 4 hrs in to a heavy day, I start tripping up steps and taking those weird extra
steps (you know the ones). Easier for RM to blame postie. Never even seen an accident book/form or whatever they use.
Don't upper management find it weird, offices have countless days lost, through twisted ankles, broken bones, hernias, hand injuries. Yet very few accidents.
We all must be playing rugby after work, or walking about with blindfolds.

fed_up_postie · Post by **fed_up_postie** » 22 Apr 2019, 17:29

bo72 wrote:I have had an accident which resulted in minor injury. When I reported it to my manager he encouraged me not to report it as I would face disaplinary proceedings because I had a similar accident a few years ago. At first I thought he was being helpful but on reflection I wonder whether it is a ploy to keep the number of accidents in our office at a minimum, he told be that they have a target to reduce accidents this year. At previous places I have worked we have always been encouraged to report accidents so the information gained can be used to reduce future accidents. I have never been threatened with disaplinary action before for reporting accidents. Is this normal at royal mail or is he trying to fob me off?

Report it end of!!!! Dont let the Dom fob you off!! He is just trying to keep his accident levels down as this will most likely affect his bonus!! EVERY accident should be recorded because if it becomes more serious then they can't threaten to sack you for going sick

Post by **Navalron** » 23 Apr 2019, 10:05

Report it. If it causes you problems later on in life with arthritis/ mobility problems and you need evidence of IHR or compo the first thing they will say is, we don't have any record of any accident. And that's twice now. The dom isn't being helpful. That's 2 accidents on duty not known about by health and safety. Just the other week we have got a 38 year man maybe getting binned for not wearing a seatbelt. You need to play them at their own game.RM is about ALWAYS covering your arse and management are no ones friends.

danterossetti · Post by **danterossetti** » 24 Apr 2019, 06:50

Report it and get the Erica print out.

bikermom · Post by **bikermom** » 28 Apr 2019, 21:46

I broke my ankle at work, at the time was told how do I cover your round now, which in itself is appalling, then left to arrange my own way home and later on to A&E, without any care from my manager despite having a huge lump on my ankle the size of half a tennis ball, when he was informed later by my other half who also works in the same depot, he was told that I was unable to report it as an accident at work, as H&S would be all over it, this was 4 weeks ago , currently still in a boot so on sick, I've sent my manager a letter, asking answers to many questions, still waiting a reply, how does he think im supposed to follow any direction from him from here on, Royal Mail know this goes on but turn a blind eye, what an awful company this has become. Good luck to you hope you get a better outcome than me .

rottathehutlet · Post by **rottathehutlet** » 29 Apr 2019, 08:30

I broke my ankle at work

I broke my ankle at work. Because I had previously been off work with cancer I fell foul of the '1 years sick pay in any 4 years' rule, which meant that they stopped paying me.
The Royal Mail rules say that I should have continued to be paid as it was an accident at work. The rules are very clear on that yet they still didn't pay me. The union told me at first that it was an open and shut case, yet all they did was tell me to put in a grievance.
During the grievance process each manager just backed up the previous one, so I eventually had to give up and return to work because I couldn't afford to live.
I now have an ankle the size of a tennis ball and pain every day but can't go off sick.
Royal Mail said that they didn't have to pay me because it was an 'incident' rather than an accident.
Basically they make the rules up as they go along and break the rules whenever they wish and the union seem unable to do a thing about it.
Good luck with your ankle problem but don't expect RM to give a stuff about you or your pain.

bikermom · Post by **bikermom** » 29 Apr 2019, 09:38

. Royal Mail are a law unto themselves, never come accross this in any previous places of work . The frightening thing is they are getting away with such blatant disregard of H&S rules. GOOD LUCK to you in the future.

rottathehutlet · Post by **rottathehutlet** » 29 Apr 2019, 09:40

The way I see it now is, if they don't want me blabbing to health and safety from hear on

That's exactly what I did, but RM still don't care. As you say, they are a law unto themselves.