Meal Break in the van

[scum_opg]

dont take this the wrong way anyone...
but do you really think Royal Mail or (at the very least) your DOM is worrying about whether or not you have access to proper/suitable facilities for use during your break (if you get or take it after leaving the office) when they have (for a start) basically defrauded us with the collegue shares... not to mention f*cking us over well and good (along with the union) at the last agreement...?

[hans solo]

where is the welfare facilities if you have your break in the van ie. where do you wash your hands before eating
and please dont say you dont .imagine all the germs and contaminates on dirty rubber bands etc ,other people using your pda,s or pens list is endless.sorry but employer has legal requirements to provide h+s regulations and facilities regards meal breaks
sitting in dirty rm van is not one of them

[fishtank]

sorry but employer has legal requirements to provide h+s regulations and facilities regards meal breaks

Thank you for your enquiry regarding welfare facilities for mobile workers.

There is no specific legislation that covers the provision of welfare facilities for mobile workers.
The employer of mobile workers has a general duty of care under Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

General duties of employers to their employees.

2. -- (1) It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of an employer's duty under the preceding subsection, the matters to which that duty extends include in particular
(E) the provision and maintenance of a working environment for his employees that is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe, without risks to health, and adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for their welfare at work.

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations deal with welfare facilities and the guidance that accompanies the regulations states:
Guidance Regulation 3:
Means of transport
All operational ships, boats, hovercraft, aircraft, trains and road vehicles are excluded from these Regulations, except that regulation 13 applies to aircraft, trains and road vehicles when stationary in a
workplace (but not when on a public road). Non-operational means of transport used as, for example, restaurants or tourist attractions, are subject to these Regulations.

Temporary work sites
At temporary work sites the requirements of these Regulations for sanitary conveniences, washing facilities, drinking water, clothing accommodation, changing facilities and facilities for rest and eating meals (regulations
20 21 22 23 24 25) apply 'so far as is reasonably practicable'. Temporary work sites include:

(a) work sites used only infrequently or for short periods; and

(b) fairs and other structures which occupy a site for a short period.

Guidance to Regulation 4:
Where employees work at a workplace which is not under their employer's control, their employer has no duty under these Regulations, but should (as part of his or her general duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974) take any steps necessary to ensure that sanitary conveniences and washing facilities will be available. It may be necessary to make arrangements for the use of facilities already provided on site, or to
provide temporary facilities. This applies, for example, to those who employ seasonal agricultural workers to work on someone else's land.

Ref: L24 Workplace health, safety and welfare. ISBN 0717604136 £5.75

Copies are available from HSE Books:

[gb93]

No you are wrong, it's the law we have the right to return to office for break.
If RM not forecoming this is cause for IA Ballot and a sure yes vote for strike.
Might be good idea for HQ to ballot us on this so to ensure a yes vote as CR wouldn't be able

[fishtank]

Type of facility......................Acceptable provision
Toilets ................................(i) fixed installation:
..........................................l at their base location
..........................................l at the satellite compound
..........................................l on site
.........................................(ii) portable installation on site
.........................................(iii) suitably designed vehicle incorporating a chemical toilet
.........................................(iv) fixed installation near site(includes public toilets)
.........................................(v) portable installation near site
.........................................(vi) pre-arranged use of private facilities

Washing facilities ....................(i) hand basins/bowls as part of installations as above
..........................................(ii) hand-washing facilities made available within the work vehicle with a supply ..........................................of clean hot and cold, or warm water (running water so far as is ..........................................reasonably practicable)
..........................................(iii) provision of non-alcoholic wet wipes as an interim measure or in addition to ...........................................washing facilities

Rest areas.............................. (i) fixed installation:
............................................l at their base location
............................................l at the satellite compound
............................................l on site
............................................(ii) mobile installations on site
............................................(iii) work vehicle which is readily available and has sufficient seating
............................................(iv) facilities which are conveniently accessible to the worksite(includes private ............................................facilities)

Drinking water ..........................(i) fixed installation:
.............................................l at their base location
.............................................l at the satellite compound
.............................................l on site
.............................................(ii) suitable container of drinking water adequately labelled on vehicle
.............................................(iii) boiling water for hot drinks

So....with some public toilets,a pack of wet wipes,a bottle of water and a van the non-specific,non-regulations that don't really apply are covered....

And gb....

[fishtank]

TO BRANCHES WITH MEMBERS IN BT
Dear Colleague,
Openreach Service Delivery – Travel to and from Meal Breaks in a BT Building
Since the introduction of iLM, the issue of travel to and from BT buildings for meal breaks has been contentious. The CWU has consistently argued that members should be entitled to travel in company time so that they can get the full 40 minute break.
I am pleased, therefore, to report that agreement has been reached with Openreach which allows for up to 10 minutes either way to the nearest BT building. In the majority of cases this will be within the ellipse. Where the nearest building is not in the ellipse, members must make prior arrangements with their manager and inform the Control.
It is accepted that, in rural and remote areas, the time to travel to and from the nearest building may be more than 10 minutes each way. In these circumstances prior local arrangement can be made. It is suggested that Branches approach local managers with the aim of reaching local agreement.
I attach a copy of a letter from Openreach which sets out the agreement and may be used as a reference where necessary. Openreach will be issuing simultaneous communications on Thursday 18 November 2010.
Yours sincerely,

Ian Cuthbert

[Eric Cantona]

We have just been told, we are to take our breaks in the van, if the need arises...

I thought to meet health & safety issues, there is supposed to be a toilet and hand washing facilities available?
For me I think this is the thin end of the wedge, they'll have you out 8hrs delivering!!

Guy at my office has a lucozade bottle in his van and a handwash gel from the pound shop, he tells me "with no windows in them vans nobody will see anything"
Funny thing though one day he parked the van up in the yard left the bottle on his frame (full) with a paper and handed his keys into the locker on his return someone pinched his lucozade bottle, he never found out from this day who took the piss that day.

[bexhil palace]

We have just been told, we are to take our breaks in the van, if the need arises...

I thought to meet health & safety issues, there is supposed to be a toilet and hand washing facilities available?
For me I think this is the thin end of the wedge, they'll have you out 8hrs delivering!!

Guy at my office has a lucozade bottle in his van and a handwash gel from the pound shop, he tells me "with no windows in them vans nobody will see anything"
Funny thing though one day he parked the van up in the yard left the bottle on his frame (full) with a paper and handed his keys into the locker on his return someone pinched his lucozade bottle, he never found out from this day who took the piss that day.

Must have been his manager, they have been taking the piss for years.

[Silly Sarah]

Would be interested to know if anyone has been denied or not informed of meal break entitlement by DOM. This may be a particular issue with part-timers who would normally fall below statutory entitlement and therefore could be unaware of entitlement with RM. Could these circumstances be deemed breach of contract?

[POSTMAN]

Would be interested to know if anyone has been denied or not informed of meal break entitlement by DOM. This may be a particular issue with part-timers who would normally fall below statutory entitlement and therefore could be unaware of entitlement with RM. Could these circumstances be deemed breach of contract?

We have had the odd part timer on here who either didn't get a break because they thought they weren't entitled to it and some who got less break than what they were entitled to.

[banjo1t]

TO BRANCHES WITH MEMBERS IN BT
Dear Colleague,
Openreach Service Delivery – Travel to and from Meal Breaks in a BT Building
Since the introduction of iLM, the issue of travel to and from BT buildings for meal breaks has been contentious. The CWU has consistently argued that members should be entitled to travel in company time so that they can get the full 40 minute break.
I am pleased, therefore, to report that agreement has been reached with Openreach which allows for up to 10 minutes either way to the nearest BT building. In the majority of cases this will be within the ellipse. Where the nearest building is not in the ellipse, members must make prior arrangements with their manager and inform the Control.
It is accepted that, in rural and remote areas, the time to travel to and from the nearest building may be more than 10 minutes each way. In these circumstances prior local arrangement can be made. It is suggested that Branches approach local managers with the aim of reaching local agreement.
I attach a copy of a letter from Openreach which sets out the agreement and may be used as a reference where necessary. Openreach will be issuing simultaneous communications on Thursday 18 November 2010.
Yours sincerely,

Ian Cuthbert

Good point fishtank,
as a side, I was talking to one of our comrades, working for BT, all their vehicles have trackers on them, so their controllers know exactly where they are.
He pointed to a small aerial on the side of his windsceen, so I don't think we have them.... YET!!

This could make a good topic on it's own.

[pink panther]

Everyone is entitled to use a proper toilet when needed regardless of what any manager says.