PDAs actual and taking a break

Post by **hothothot** » 14 May 2018, 17:01

As I understand it you can have a break anywhere you like, in your home, at McDonald's it's up to you. If they say you ain't supposed to go off route, bollocks to that you just say I needed a toilet break.

Post by **POSTMAN** » 14 May 2018, 17:04

PDA's or not you all 'should' already have your toilet stops built into your duties.If you have not got any in said duties, then something is very wrong.

Tank · Post by **Tank** » 14 May 2018, 17:06

On my 50 min break, I usually go in the gym which is on route, that’s after taking lapsing etc! So this shouldn’t be a problem??

Post by **hothothot** » 14 May 2018, 17:08

If you do he same walk every day you no where to stop for a toilet break. But if your say a reserve, how the hell do you no where to go .

clashcityrocker · Post by **clashcityrocker** » 14 May 2018, 17:28

hothothot wrote:If you do he same walk every day you no where to stop for a toilet break. But if your say a reserve, how the hell do you no where to go .

It should be in the walk log.

toomuchcoke · Post by **toomuchcoke** » 14 May 2018, 17:28

POSTMAN wrote:PDA's or not you all 'should' already have your toilet stops built into your duties.If you have not got any in said duties, then something is very wrong.

In the case of the majority of the rural rounds that I do, the toilet stop consists of finding a convenient hedgerow!

Post by **hothothot** » 14 May 2018, 17:47

You have walk logs!

Post by **eastie** » 14 May 2018, 20:50

no toilets on my semi rural . Use a bottle in the back of the van

Post by **POSTMAN** » 14 May 2018, 23:08

hothothot wrote:You have walk logs!

There will also be a paper trail when revisions are done.

ripio · Post by **ripio** » 15 May 2018, 17:46

Bahia Feliz wrote:
60091 wrote: I have never taken a break before I go out or have never stopped and taken break out on delivery
It's a legal requirement to have a break if you work more than 6 hours!

I think you'll find that there is a legal entitlement to a break, but there is no legal requirement to take a break.

postslippete · Post by **postslippete** » 15 May 2018, 18:56

I noticed on a lot of our walks our toilet breaks, because there aren't any, are actually the local superstore's toilets. Mine used to be the pub but its often shut first thing in the day.

Post by **Sugar** » 16 May 2018, 16:41

ripio wrote:
Bahia Feliz wrote:
60091 wrote: I have never taken a break before I go out or have never stopped and taken break out on delivery
It's a legal requirement to have a break if you work more than 6 hours!
I think you'll find that there is a legal entitlement to a break, but there is no legal requirement to take a break.

IIRC you can't go longer than 4 hours without taking a break and that is legal.

yellowbelly · Post by **yellowbelly** » 17 May 2018, 19:23

clashcityrocker wrote:
hothothot wrote:If you do he same walk every day you no where to stop for a toilet break. But if your say a reserve, how the hell do you no where to go .
It should be in the walk log.

You'll probably find most walk logs will either disintegrate or rapidly become rather smelly if you 'go in them'.....

crimson king · Post by **crimson king** » 18 May 2018, 08:11

postslippete wrote:I noticed on a lot of our walks our toilet breaks, because there aren't any, are actually the local superstore's toilets. Mine used to be the pub but its often shut first thing in the day.

When I was a reserve for a while this was a big concern for me. I don't consider myself to have a weak bladder, but I do like a comfort stop about midday, especially in this hot weather when taking on fluids. I was on one duty for four days that had no pubs or shops etc. I ended up using woodland behind some flats, scared to death I was going to get done for flashing or indecent exposure.

I can go a whole shift without a wee but, man, it gets a bit uncomfortable towards the end and surely it's a fundamental right to be able to stop for relief.

Where did all those public loos I remember as a kid go?

newrepontheblock · Post by **newrepontheblock** » 08 Jun 2018, 16:20

Can somebody clear up a debate between me and another unit rep. Both been on the PDA Actuals training course albeit two weeks apart. My understanding is that at least 20 mins break is built into duty builder between our start times and our finish times. Its been office practice that we can take the final 20 minutes at the end in line with the way forward agreement.

The other rep has now come out and said that everybody should take the full 40 mins before commencing delivery or out on the road , the DOM supports this. I believe this is against H&S as we have 5hr plus walks, so if you take the full 40 before that means your expected to walk around and travel back to the office without another meal relief this could be close to 6hrs with some duties.

This isn't about the 20 at the end for me or other staff as some like to take 20 before and 20 half way around their walk but according to the other rep and DOM you can't so this anymore. We also have a canteen in our office, so if you take the full 40 out on delivery your missing out on the canteen food and also jeopardising the future of the canteen staff as it wouldn't;t be used as much.