More Boots n Shoes stuff:Safety.

Post by **POSTMAN** » 22 Jan 2008, 16:58

Re: New Royal Mail Standard Issue Magnum Shoes & Boots:

As reported in LTB 1110/ 2007, dated 18 December 2007 CWU/HQ Health, Safety and Environment Department and Outdoor Department has been inundated with complaints from across the UK regarding the new-type standard issue uniform "Magnum" delivery shoes & boots. The complaints are consistent across the country in that the soles of the new footwear are slippery from new and as such have caused several accidents.

Reports have also confirmed that it is not in wet weather alone that the footwear fails to provide adequate grip. Again reports are consistent that they fail to provide grip even in dry conditions on certain smooth surfaces such as: Drives with a resin coating or screed, Paths which are tiled and car showrooms.

Other faults commonly reported with the boots from Branches representing Delivery Staff and Engineers are: Zips break easily, Seams between the sole and the upper splits and the top and bottom parts of the boot detach and come apart, Weatherproof coating is peeling off.

A number of Reports and Photographs have been received and details of accidents connected to the footwear. I would like to thank those Safety Reps for sending them in. All have been passed on to Royal Mail to demonstrate concerns. Cycle delivery staff in particular are reporting that the slippery soles are causing feet to slide off the pedals when wet causing a loss of control of the cycles and as such a potential serious road risk.

The point was made strongly that it's not good enough to supply with inadequate footwear and in doing so expose them to an increased risk of slips, trips and falls. Urgent remedial action was called for to address the shortcomings in a letter to Royal Mail (attached to LTB 1110/ 2007) and the HSE were contacted nationally also via the HSE LOPP Co-Ordinator.

A detailed response and plan of remedial action has now been received from Royal Mail's Head of Assets and Royal Mail's National Uniform Manager. These are attached for your information.

They never attach the feckin files!!

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 22 Jan 2008, 19:41

they are attached you have to click on the download header and appear as a word doc at the bottom of the page.

Post by **POSTMAN** » 22 Jan 2008, 20:34

k979aaa wrote:they are attached you have to click on the download header and appear as a word doc at the bottom of the page.

Never works for me.

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 22 Jan 2008, 21:06

To postman click to view this download click here on the cwu web page and then their should appear the doc on the LTB page and on page two is a small icon double click and should open in word or maybe their is a problem with you computer.

Post by **POSTMAN** » 22 Jan 2008, 21:57

k979aaa wrote:To postman click to view this download click here on the cwu web page and then their should appear the doc on the LTB page and on page two is a small icon double click and should open in word or maybe their is a problem with you computer.

Still no good,saved it all to me comp as well,must be me.

Post by **rhino49** » 22 Jan 2008, 22:59

POSTMAN wrote:
k979aaa wrote:To postman click to view this download click here on the cwu web page and then their should appear the doc on the LTB page and on page two is a small icon double click and should open in word or maybe their is a problem with you computer.
Still no good,saved it all to me comp as well,must be me.

-----Original Message-----
From: phil.o'gorman@royalmail.com [mailto:phil.o'gorman@royalmail.com]
Sent: 21 December 2007 16:23
To: Dave Joyce
Cc: ian.stockdale@royalmail.com; alan.barrie@royalmail.com
Subject: New Footwear

Dave,
I am involved with footwear as the Head of Assets is responsible for
uniform provision. Firstly you know through the work we have done
together my approach to safety, therefore you know I am taking this
matter very seriously. We have been undertaking statistical analysis
of the Riddors on trips, slips and falls to try to get at the root cause.
I would like to share the detail with you on your return but putting it
simply the analysis undertaken so far points at the new shoes being if
anything an improvement on the old type. However we have actioned the
following to give ourselves the best possible understanding of the
issue:-

Actions being undertaken:

1. Further testing of the sole with SATRA will commence on the 2nd
January and will take 10 working days to complete. (SATRA are global leaders
on clothing testing. )
2. A second opinion will be sought via the HSE which will test the
shoes, mirroring our operation as closely as possible with regards to our
walking surfaces and weight on shoulder. This will also be complete
by the middle of January.
3. We are talking to our suppliers on further options available to us to
either improve the sole or if need be, change it completely. This
will be done by the 4th January
4. Communications will go out to the operation by the 4th January
covering off issues with the zips, durability and adding in tips for wearing
shoes safely during the winter months.
5.Ian Stockdale will provide weekly reports on all slips and trips
incidents until further notice, detailing whether the employee was
wearing Royal Mail issues (new Magnum or old style) or non Royal Mail
shoes.
6. Bob Taylor will scope the opportunity to survey wearers of the
current shoe range to establish overall levels of satisfaction.

I believe this demonstrates that we are determined to get at the root
cause of the current increase in Riddors. I am happy to discuss.

Regards

Phil O'Gorman Head of Assets

***********************************************************************
-----Original Message-----
From: bob.h.taylor@royalmail.com [mailto:bob.h.taylor@royalmail.com]
Sent: 04 January 2008 12:50
To: Dave Joyce
Subject: RE: Uniform shoes

Apparently - the more you carry - the better the grip

Post by **POSTMAN** » 23 Jan 2008, 14:41

Cheers rhino

saru · Post by **saru** » 23 Jan 2008, 17:17

The zip on one of my boots went today. When I got them the zips wouldn't open, so have just been using the laces to get them on & off. I've worn them maybe a dozen times. Can't walk fast in them in case I slip. What a joke!
Another case of saving a few pence in the short term looks like costing more.

I'll take them into my DOM tomorrow & let him send them back. God knows when I'll get another pair.....back to wearing my old ones with the soles falling off again!

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 23 Jan 2008, 19:14

saru wrote:The zip on one of my boots went today. When I got them the zips wouldn't open, so have just been using the laces to get them on & off. I've worn them maybe a dozen times. Can't walk fast in them in case I slip. What a joke!
Another case of saving a few pence in the short term looks like costing more.

I'll take them into my DOM tomorrow & let him send them back. God knows when I'll get another pair.....back to wearing my old ones with the soles falling off again!

In fact is up to royalmail to supply footware up to the job do not use your "WORN OUT ONE'S" and tell your manager too get you some approved footware or you will not commence delivery without put the ball in their court with a forearm smash!

sirtophat · Post by **sirtophat** » 26 Jan 2008, 17:52

I CAN'T GET THE "These are attached for your information" THING TO WORK IT JUST AN ICON, IS IT A VISTA
THING? I'AM ON VISTA

DGP1 · Post by **DGP1** » 26 Jan 2008, 18:22

I've been wearing my Magnums for a few months now and have suffered all the problems (going over because they're so high, slipping on anything wet or smooth and leaks worse than a Tetley teabag) but today they actually started to grip on all surfaces (including tiled paths). The only problem is there is virtually no tread left on the soles

gazzer · Post by **gazzer** » 26 Jan 2008, 19:47

Got new boots on Monday,zip broke on Thursday-quite comfy to wear,easiest RM footwear to break in I've had,
but an absolute joke on any slippy surface!

Post by **POSTMAN** » 26 Jan 2008, 20:52

sirtophat wrote:I CAN'T GET THE "These are attached for your information" THING TO WORK IT JUST AN ICON, IS IT A VISTA
THING? I'AM ON VISTA

Nope,it's not a link,was just highlighting it and pointing out that the attachments in the emails never work for me.

rhino49 has posted the attachment a few posts down from my original post.

dave7634 · Post by **dave7634** » 27 Jan 2008, 00:32

gazzer wrote:Got new boots on Monday,zip broke on Thursday-quite comfy to wear,easiest RM footwear to break in I've had,
but an absolute joke on any slippy surface!

Bring back the Clark's shoes!

norbert · Post by **norbert** » 27 Jan 2008, 06:59

saru wrote:The zip on one of my boots went today. When I got them the zips wouldn't open, so have just been using the laces to get them on & off. I've worn them maybe a dozen times. Can't walk fast in them in case I slip. What a joke!
Another case of saving a few pence in the short term looks like costing more.

I'll take them into my DOM tomorrow & let him send them back. God knows when I'll get another pair.....back to wearing my old ones with the soles falling off again!

That's it , all RM have parroted out is a corporate Mission Statement to mask the fact they're trying to save money.

If someone was interested in say going walking , you wouldn't expect to go into Millets , buy something for purpose and be told by the Shop Assistant to go in the Shed /Garage and get the wet & dry /glass paper out before you go out otherwise you'll end up on your a***? .

I think it's don't give 'em anything decent or the b***ers will try and sell them or give them to their relatives .There was a time that trousers had stripes down the side , to stop people wearing them off duty . The Railway companies changed Uniform Colours for that reason , you'd feel a bit conspicious in purple pants , green jackets and red shirts . Cured that p***y culture all right ??!

Once the shoes were Clarks , I've even seen messages on Notice Boards asking people for spare pairs , or people wanting to know which shops sold them , the trainers were Olympus people wanted to know which decent cobblers NOT some spotty face kid in Mr Mint it etc , repaired them . Boots were Dr Marten's , proper Orthopedic/Industrial footwear , then they changed to cheap uppers which were scruffy , had dull leather on , cheap what they call the sock linings that gave you problems .

What a load of b***ocks !