Dave Joyce letter after two die in severe heat

[Woody Guthrie]

Dave Joyce National Health & Safety Officer

14 August 2020

Ricky McAulay

National Service Delivery Director

Royal Mail



Ricky



Re: Mark Creamer Postman (55) Lancing DO and Phil Bentham Postman (56) Barrow-in-Furness DO
Both Die in Severe Heat on Their Delivery Rounds This Week: (Sun Safety & Water Provision):



I wrote to you on 27 June, 28 July and 4 August, on the vitally important health and safety issue of Sun Safety and Dehydration risks to the outdoor workforce whilst working in the current extremely hot weather. Over recent weeks and indeed since June I have been raising this again and again, as I do every year there’s a hot summer, calling for sun screen and water provision for outdoor delivery Plus effective risk controls. I have also raised this issue at the weekly RMG/CWU National Coronavirus/Covid-19 Joint Operations Group Skype Meetings for several weeks running.



To reiterate. I have requested;

1. The provision of high factor, broad spectrum Sun Bloc and Sun Glasses.

2. The provision of bottled water or water bottles (especially as water fountains have been shut off during the Covid-19 pandemic).

3. All Units to undertake Severe Weather Risk Assessments, updated daily, with full CWU ASR/WSR input and involvement and the urgent deployment of risk controls.

Temperatures soared above 34C (93F) for six days in a row in parts of the UK, this week gone by andthat’s the first time this has happened since 1961. The UK has seen its hottest day in August for 17 years, as temperatures reached more than 36C (96.8F) and this comes just a fortnight after the UK recorded its the hottest day of the year 38C (100F).



Today we see some respite from the excessive heatwave conditions with warm and humidconditions forecast to persist for a few more days, with daily showers and thunderstorms on the way (bringing the annual flood risks to Royal Mail and the workforce).



However, our Outdoor members have been exposed to both harmful, cancer causing UV sunlight rays and excessive heat whilst performing their physically demanding jobs. This is coupled with the extraordinary warm, tropical overnight temperatures staying above 20C affecting sleep patterns and so exacerbating bodily stress. Such nights used to be rare. In the 30 years between 1960 and 1990 there were just eight nights that exceeded that mark.

According to medical experts and the British Heart Foundation(BHF) Hot weather puts stress on everyone's heart by causing it to beat faster and work harder to keep the body cool. People with heart disease or heart conditions, are at an even greater risk of Heatstroke (or sunstroke) which can cause shock and organ failure, temporarily or permanently damaging vital organs, such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, and brain and in extreme cases, heatstroke can kill. Those with underlying medical conditions are at far greater risk and this needs to be taken account of in the risk assessment process.



Three days ago Mark Creamer (55), a Postman working at Lancing DO in the BN postcode area collapsed and died in severe heat on his delivery round. He was on an undulating round with a reasonably high gradient. He was found slumped at the end of a pathway by a resident who called 999 for an ambulance and I believe the paramedic crew briefly resituated Mark but he died shortly after at the scene.



The CWU ASR found no evidence of any individual risk assessment for Marc who had knownunderlying medical conditions.

The CWU ASR on investigation found that a Severe Weather Risk Assessment Form had been completed at Lancing DO on the day in question but that the critical entries were all incorrect. It stated that walk spans had been reduced – in fact they hadn’t! It stated that delivery points had been reduced – in fact they hadn’t! It stated that Pouch Weights had been reduced when there was no way of knowing, as the Scales were buried under a pile of junk! It stated that the maximum temperature was 25C when in fact it was 30C! It stated that exposure was for between 1.5hrs to 3hrs when in fact it was nearer 4Hrs to 5Hrs! It stated that departure times had been brought forward when in fact they had not! It stated that the RM SHE Business Partner (Safety Advisor) had been consulted when in fact he had not!

Staff received no information, instructions, adjustments to rounds etc and no bottled water provision was made for staff out on delivery despite the Water Fountain being switched off (as a Covid-19 precaution). Appalling!



Two days ago, Phil Bentham (56), a Postman working at Barrow-in-Furness Delivery Office in the LA postcode area collapsed and died in severe heat following the conclusion of his delivery round, whilst cycling home. Phil recently returned to work after 17 weeks shielding. He received no ‘Return to Work’ meeting, There was no individual risk assessment carried out, There was no ‘Mandatory’ Severe Weather Risk Assessment carried out either, as far as the CWU ASR is aware, and certainly there was no consultation with the ASR on the weather risks, as is required by Law and in the RMG SHE Standards,

There was no bottled water provision made for staff out on delivery, despite the Water Fountain being switched off (as a Covid-19 precaution). Staff were asking the DOM since the beginning of the week if they could get bottled water at the Petrol Garage with the ‘Fuel Card’ when refuelling their Royal Mail Fleet Vans but the DOM refused !



Phil had long standing poor health issues that the Managers at the Delivery Office were aware of.

Despite this fact, he was automatically placed back onto his delivery round with the expectation that he would be able to complete a full delivery with no account taken of either his health or the current extremely hot and sunny weather conditions. Additionally, on the day in question, due to lapsing in the Delivery Office, Phil was given extra work to take out and went without a break in order to complete his work allocation. This was irresponsible by management to put it very mildly.



The CWU Area Health and Safety Reps, Area Delivery Reps and Unit Reps are currently dealing with the grief, mental distress and anxiety amongst work colleagues of both Mark and Phil in the Delivery Units where emotions are running high in respect what is perceived as the totally uncaring, Blasé attitude of Royal Mail.



This isn’t the first time.



In July 2013 Graham Bennett (47), a Postman working at Lincoln DO in the LN postcode area collapsed and died in severe heat whilst on a delivery round, during the heatwave. Graham normally worked indoors due to a underlying health condition but was sent out on delivery on the day in question because the Delivery Office was short-staffed. (See attached Press Reports).



A forth incident some years prior to that involved a Croydon Postman who collapsed in Thornton Heath, Surrey, during a heatwave, whilst out on delivery and he died in Hospital.



FACT: Too much sun can cause heat exhaustion and sun stroke and dangerous and life threatening

– both need urgent treatment



I’m calling for a full and thorough joint investigations into the Mark Creamer and Phil Bentham fatalities under the RMG Fatal and Serious Incident Investigation procedure, in line with the RMG/CWU Accident Notification, Investigation and Reporting Agreements. Our CWU Area Health and

Safety Representatives to be fully involved.



The question must be asked – ‘How many Delivery Offices are compliant with the ‘Mandatory’ Requirement to undertake ‘Severe Weather Risk Assessments’ and put in place controls and adjustments to safeguard the health and wellbeing of outdoor staff working in the excessively hot and sunny conditions?



Given the extreme heat Heatwave conditions with Met Office Warnings/Alerts in place I’m Continually asked by CWU Reps and members across the country to find out what can be done to enforce the hot weather safety standard issued by the Royal Mail SHE team, to ensure Delivery

Office Managers take appropriate compliance action to ensure the safety and health of the outdoor workforce who are suffering from blistering heat, sunburn, heat exhaustion and dehydration risks.

Deployment of the Severe Weather Risk Assessment measures are vital and I would again request that Royal Mail Managers be told to take appropriate action and fully comply with Royal Mail Safety standards and guidance as the advice from the Met Office is that people should stay out of the sun.

If we had heavy Snow, Mail Deliveries would be modified, reduced or even cancelled. However this isn't happening in what is intolerable heat and sunlight.

Our Area Health and Safety Reps report that Common sense isn't being applied and local Delivery

Office Managers and Opps Managers are doing little or nothing to reduce the risks of long exposure to Sunlight and Heat, e.g. suspensions, shortening deliveries, reducing delivery spans, earlier start and finish times for the duration of this weather etc.

Additionally, I think that the time is right to ensure Bottled Water/Water Bottles and Sun Block is provided by Royal Mail to all Delivery Staff to reduce dehydration, heat stroke, skin damage and the occupational risk of organ damage and skin cancer.

We have the Royal Mail SHE guidance and instructions to Delivery Management in place which is acknowledged but we need compliance to keep our people safe in the heat and sun, protecting their health and well-being.



Attachments:-

Ø Press Reports on the Graham Bennett Case.

Ø Royal Mail, Parcelforce, CWU, Unite/CMA and IOSH Sun Safety & Avoid Dehydration Poster

Ø CWU ‘Sun Smart-Skin Safe’ Leaflet

Ø CWU ‘Sun Smart-Skin Safe’ Poster

Ø Royal Mail/IOSH/CWU ‘Stay Safe In The Sun’ Pocket Cards

Ø Survey of Organisation That Supporting the Provision of Sunscreen For Outdoor Postal Workers.

As an added problem, Weather warnings are in place for large parts of the UK as the country braces itself for thunderstorms and heavy rain amid the soaring temperatures. This means the nation could face more flooding power cuts. Flood Alerts and Flood Warnings have already been issued by the Met Office. Delivery Offices need to prepare for that event and again undertake Severe Weather Risk

Assessments working with the full involvement of CWU ASRs.



A yellow thunderstorm warning has been issued for all of England and Wales by the Met Office, while eastern Scotland between Edinburgh, Inverness and Aberdeen has a more serious amber warning in place. The amber warning means people should be on alert for flash flooding and damage to buildings from lightning strikes, torrential downpours and hailstones, as well as widespread disruption on the roads and to public transport, while deep and fast floodwater could be a threat to human life.



The UK could see "exceptional rainfall" of 60mm (6cm) in an hour in some areas, according to the Met Office, with a chance that certain areas could see around 150mm (15cm) of rainfall in three or four hours.



On 11 August Edinburgh Mail Centre was flooded again, for the third time in the last two years and Falkirk Delivery Office was also flooded for the third time in the past two years. These Offices need proper investment and attention to stop this continual unacceptable recurrences.



Despite the heavy rain forecast, temperatures are expected to remain high across the UK.

Yours and your team’s urgent attention to the above would be gratefully appreciated.



Yours sincerely

cid:image001.jpg@01D51D57.F1AD89E0

From Dave Joyce | National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

[General Mannerheim]

And there you have it. A strong(ish) worded letter .
So what are the union going to do about it then?

[JKSmudge]

It is a total disgrace how posties are treated - expected to work as hard ( or even harder with triple lapsing ) in dreadfully hot conditions. Our Dom says walk in the shade they really don't give a F about the health of their employees and think we can perform like robots, same spped whatever the conditions. Condolences to family & friends of the deceased. Stay safe everyone, look after yourselves - the job is not worth your life.

[Jpro747]

Firstly RIP to Mark and Phil and sincere condolences to their families at this tough time. This should not have happened and could’ve been avoided. It’s an absolute disgrace on Royal Mail’s part. The management knew it was going to be extremely hot and once again did nothing. This is not the first time we’ve had a death in service due to the extreme heat. Yet RM did not put a system in place to prevent it happening again. It should also be noted that this is not a normal summer and there is a lot of pressure on members with the increased amount of parcels at the moment. We have precautions in place if there is a spell of cold weather and snow. Why do we not have precautions in place for extreme heat?

[Flashman_]

Until RM are prosecuted for corporate manslaughter, nothing will change.

[hans solo]

relatives should be taking rm to court and suing

[Woody Guthrie]

How many of these Severe Weather Risk Assessment forms are being "faked" up and down the country?

I'm no expert but I would say that's gross misconduct on Health and Safety grounds for a kick off.

It's kind of endemic throughout this business, senior management put processes in place either blind to the fact or knowing full well that they are largely being ignored or faked by operational managers.

The union has to take some responsibility as well, they seem to think the job is done once an agreement is reached. The follow up is piss poor.

[mjd24]

Finally this issue is getting talked about. It is absolutely shocking how during extreme heatwaves like we have had, with temperatures 30plus degrees and high humidity, we are just expected to go out and do our 4-5 hour deliveries as normal. And the temperature in the office in the mornings is just incredible, feels hotter than outside. And there is no water provided now due to covid.

I honestly dont know how i got through some of the days this week. I must have been drinking 3 litres of water and that didnt feel like enough.

And all we get from the DOM is extra lapsing and even sending people back out who happen to come back a bit early. So now there is no insensitive to even try and finish as quickly as possible to get out of the heat.

Something has to change going forward because more will die.

[Spartacus]

How many of these Severe Weather Risk Assessment forms are being "faked" up and down the country?

I'm no expert but I would say that's gross misconduct on Health and Safety grounds for a kick off.

It's kind of endemic throughout this business, senior management put processes in place either blind to the fact or knowing full well that they are largely being ignored or faked by operational managers.

The union has to take some responsibility as well, they seem to think the job is done once an agreement is reached. The follow up is piss poor.

Simple fact is that once targets are introduced people will cheat and lie their way to achieving the target, this is why accidents are reported as incidents,why accidents are almost always found to be blameworthy, why time lost to accidents is manipulated to show the absence is down to a different cause, this comes from the DSMs and equivalent ranks of management ( the most pernicious and venal people in the business) down to the DOMs and line managers, an absolute disgrace and the union put up with it.

[Creditshampoo]

This is actually disgraceful

[k979aaa]

It has happened before and will do again till we all put our own health and safety before profit and a bonus culture!

[Sugar]

First off condolences to those families affected, you can't imagine what they are currently going through.

How many of these Severe Weather Risk Assessment forms are being "faked" up and down the country?

I'm no expert but I would say that's gross misconduct on Health and Safety grounds for a kick off.

It's kind of endemic throughout this business, senior management put processes in place either blind to the fact or knowing full well that they are largely being ignored or faked by operational managers.

The union has to take some responsibility as well, they seem to think the job is done once an agreement is reached. The follow up is piss poor.

My thoughts exactly.

Anyone who's been in the job long enough soon sees how lino's and dim's "fudge" the numbers to make things look rosy to those above and cover up their own incompetence. The only way around this, and I doubt it would ever happen, would be the union office rep or safety rep get to see the info being put into the SWRAF was correct and then they themselves signed it off along with the manager(s) in charge that day.

The low grade corruption and incompetence is royal fail is mind boggling and the bonus culture only makes it worse.

I hope the union, along with the families involved, push royal fail through the courts to the highest level and sue their backsides off. Heads should roll for this but we all know the drill. Royal fail will spout a load of spin "we take the health and safety of our people very seriously" to appease the families and promise an investigation. The manager(s) in question will just get moved sideways.

Everyone who was a 5 am starter all those years ago told them when they started shifting start times later and later and we were out longer in the hottest parts of the day it would take it's toll and it now it has in the most awful was possible.

[clashcityrocker]

"The CWU ASR on investigation found that a Severe Weather Risk Assessment Form had been completed at Lancing DO on the day in question but that the critical entries were all incorrect. It stated that walk spans had been reduced – in fact they hadn’t! It stated that delivery points had been reduced – in fact they hadn’t! It stated that Pouch Weights had been reduced when there was no way of knowing, as the Scales were buried under a pile of junk! It stated that the maximum temperature was 25C when in fact it was 30C! It stated that exposure was for between 1.5hrs to 3hrs when in fact it was nearer 4Hrs to 5Hrs! It stated that departure times had been brought forward when in fact they had not! It stated that the RM SHE Business Partner (Safety Advisor) had been consulted when in fact he had not!"

I think anyone reading that from outside the business would be gobsmacked.
To anyone inside the business it barely raises an eyebrow.
A grossly unprofessional Mickey Mouse outfit - a management structure not fit for purpose.

[wallan]

"The CWU ASR on investigation found that a Severe Weather Risk Assessment Form had been completed at Lancing DO on the day in question but that the critical entries were all incorrect. It stated that walk spans had been reduced – in fact they hadn’t! It stated that delivery points had been reduced – in fact they hadn’t! It stated that Pouch Weights had been reduced when there was no way of knowing, as the Scales were buried under a pile of junk! It stated that the maximum temperature was 25C when in fact it was 30C! It stated that exposure was for between 1.5hrs to 3hrs when in fact it was nearer 4Hrs to 5Hrs! It stated that departure times had been brought forward when in fact they had not! It stated that the RM SHE Business Partner (Safety Advisor) had been consulted when in fact he had not!"

I think anyone reading that from outside the business would be gobsmacked.
To anyone inside the business it barely raises an eyebrow.
A grossly unprofessional Mickey Mouse outfit - a management structure not fit for purpose.

Did the ASR then check that other offices in there area had completed the Risk Assessment correctly

[toonshola]

"The CWU ASR on investigation found that a Severe Weather Risk Assessment Form had been completed at Lancing DO on the day in question but that the critical entries were all incorrect. It stated that walk spans had been reduced – in fact they hadn’t! It stated that delivery points had been reduced – in fact they hadn’t! It stated that Pouch Weights had been reduced when there was no way of knowing, as the Scales were buried under a pile of junk! It stated that the maximum temperature was 25C when in fact it was 30C! It stated that exposure was for between 1.5hrs to 3hrs when in fact it was nearer 4Hrs to 5Hrs! It stated that departure times had been brought forward when in fact they had not! It stated that the RM SHE Business Partner (Safety Advisor) had been consulted when in fact he had not!"

I think anyone reading that from outside the business would be gobsmacked.
To anyone inside the business it barely raises an eyebrow.
A grossly unprofessional Mickey Mouse outfit - a management structure not fit for purpose.

10 years a postie and I Am completely stunned reading that. I realise most big companies are heartless machines looking after the bottom line but Royal Mail takes it to new levels. RIP to those 2 guys, truly sickening.