World Suicide Prevention day – Monday 10 September 2018:

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

World Suicide Prevention Day is an annual awareness raising event held each year on 10 September reaching out to people who may be struggling to cope.

It’s about raising awareness and connecting with others and letting people who may be struggling to cope or in distress know that “IT’S OK TO TALK”.

Background

This worldwide event is ‎organised by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and the ‎World Health Organisation (WHO). Various events and activities are held to raise awareness that suicide is a major preventable cause of premature death.

Nearly 3000 people on average die by suicide daily, according to WHO. For every person who completes a suicide, 20 or more may attempt to end their lives. About one million people die by suicide each year. Suicide is a major preventable cause of premature death which is influenced by psychosocial, cultural and environmental risk factors that can be prevented through worldwide responses that address these main risk factors. There is strong evidence indicating that adequate prevention can reduce suicide rates.

World Suicide Prevention Day, which first started in 2003, is annually held on September 10 each year as an IASP initiative. The WHO co-sponsors this event. World Suicide Prevention Day aims to:

• Raise awareness that suicide is preventable.

• Improve education about suicide.

• Spread information about suicide awareness.

• Decrease stigmatisation regarding suicide.

The WHO and IASP work with governments and other partners to ensure that suicide is no longer stigmatised, criminalised or penalised. The WHO’s role is to build political action and leadership to develop national responses to prevent suicide, strengthen national planning capacity to establish the core building blocks of such a national response, and build the national capacities to implement these responses.

Why is it important?

More than 800,000 people take their lives each year across the world. In the UK and ROI, more than 6,000 people die by suicide a year – an average of 18 a day.

Reaching out to people who are going through a difficult time can be a game changer. People who are feeling low or suicidal often feel worthless and think that no-one cares. Small things like hearing from friends or family, feeling listened to by a colleague or just being told that ‘it’s ok to talk’ can make a huge difference.

What you can do

Start a conversation today if you think a friend, colleague or family member may be struggling or in distress. You can also spread the word.

When a person reaches a point where they are focused on taking their life, they’ve often lost sight of trying to find a way through their problems. This period usually only lasts a short while and often it doesn’t take a huge amount to bring someone back from that decision – something as simple as saying, ‘it’s ok to talk’ can be enough to move someone out of suicidal crisis.

How can people reach out?

It can be daunting to approach someone who is struggling to cope; you may not know what to say, or worry that you’ll make things worse. However, you don’t need to be an expert. Often, just asking if someone’s OK and letting them know you’re listening can give people the confidence to open up about how they’re feeling.

Other sources of information

The Samaritans are a well-known UK charity that is there round the clock every single day of the year for anyone struggling to cope. If you’re worried about someone, or would like emotional support yourself, please ‎get in touch with the Samaritans:

Freepost RSRB-KKBY-CYJK
PO Box 9090
STIRLING
FK8 2SA

T: 116 123 (UK)

T: 116 123 (ROI)

E: jo@samaritans.org (UK)

E: jo@samaritans.ie (ROI)

https://www.samaritans.org/

Attachment:

• World Suicide Prevention Day Newsletter

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

18LTB515 World Suicide Prevention day – Monday 10 September 2018

2018_WSPD_Newsletter

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National Branch Secretaries Briefing 5th September 2018

Branch Secretaries were called to this briefing with Terry Pullinger (DGSP) to update branches on how the Four Pillars Agreement was working.

Pensions Update

The Government is to announce a White Paper consultation on introduction of CDC schemes in the Autumn, once this has taken place a new Pensions Bill will be placed before Parliament.

Holiday Pay – Average Pay

CWU HQ’s believe legal principle has been set and want to achieve agreement. Royal Mail are considering their position but don’t believe precedent has been set

National talks to continue with the potential for legal cases to go forward if needed

All CWU Members will receive a letter from HQ’s that they must return to Branch Secretaries showing how much regular overtime they perform

HQ’s will then use the returned examples and go to ACAS for joint conciliation and potential employment tribunal, however our aim is to put pressure on Royal Mail and seek a collective agreement with the employer

Scheduled Attendance (SA) – 12 Hour Limit

At present there are around 2000 people working more than 12 hours Schedule Attendance per week. HQ’s have requested a breakdown of the details.

The status quo remains during the national talks, and the outcome is heavily linked to the outcome of the talks on average holiday Pay

Night Workers – Working Time Directive

Night Workers are currently covered by the Way Forward Agreement, but Royal Mail’s internal legal people, now believe the agreement breaks the Working Time Directive and the Working week, in their view, should be limited to 48 hours per week for Night Workers.

Legal teams from both sides are due to meet and the status quo applies in the interim

Workplace Culture

Royal Mail have reported big dips in letter traffic and revenue due to the new Data Protection Laws which came into force in May of this year. Quality of Service is also down, which means Managers are under pressure from the Royal Mail Board to turn everything around

It has always been the CWU’s aim to address cultural issues via the 4 Pillars agreement, hence the recent video from Terry Pullinger. Following the video, all replies from members are being collated and Offices and Branches which are identified as having cultural issues will be contacted by CWU HQ’s and the offices concerned will then be visited by the CWU.

In addition, to the above HQ’s have requested details from Divisional Reps of three offices in which they believe culture is not an issue, and they will receive a joint visit from Royal Mail and CWU to see what they are doing differently to identify best practice

We need to be persistent and identify and resolve the workplace culture issues

Terry expects Branches to visit offices where there are cultural issues and deal with them via our IR Framework agreement, He also explained that this is the start of dealing with the issues, and that he expected Branches to develop action plans to be proactive in dealing with cultural issues

Shorter Working Week

Plans are well advanced to introduce the 1-hour reduction in the working week in October for all members in all functions at the same time

Andy Beeby

Branch Secretary

European H&S Week 22-28 October 2018 – Healthy Workplaces Manage Dangerous Substances:

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

The theme for European Health & Safety Week 2018, organised by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), is ‘Healthy Workplaces Manage Dangerous Substances’. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the risks posed by dangerous substances in the workplace and to promote a culture of risk prevention to eliminate and, where that’s not possible, effectively manage these risks.

Many workers across Europe are affected by exposure to dangerous substances. In recent decades some substances, such as asbestos, have been banned, restricted or subjected to strict regulatory control. However, dangerous substances continue to be a major safety and health issue in some workplaces.

For the purposes of this campaign, a dangerous substance is any substance in gas, liquid or solid form, including aerosols, fumes and vapours, that can pose a risk to workers’ health or safety. This includes manufactured chemicals, process-generated substances such as diesel exhaust or silica dust, and naturally occurring substances used in work processes such as crude oil or flour dust

Exposure to dangerous substances is much more common in Europe’s workplaces than most people imagine. Dangerous substances at work can cause a wide range of health problems and diseases, as well as posing safety risks. The 2018-19 campaign  aims to raise awareness of the risks posed by dangerous substances in the workplace and to promote a culture of risk prevention.

Campaign objectives

• To raise awareness of the importance of preventing risks from dangerous substances, helping to dispel common misunderstandings.

• To promote risk assessment by providing information on practical tools and creating opportunities to share good practices, focusing specifically on:

• – eliminating or substituting dangerous substances in the workplace

• – the hierarchy of prevention measures (i.e. following the hierarchy outlined in legislation so that the most effective type of measure is always selected).

• To heighten awareness of risks linked to exposures to carcinogens at work by supporting the exchange of good practices; EU-OSHA is a signatory to the covenant committing to the EU Carcinogens Roadmap.

• To target groups of workers with specific needs and higher levels of risks by providing tailored information as well as examples of good practices. The risks might be higher because these workers are inexperienced, uninformed or physically more vulnerable, or because they frequently change jobs, or work in sectors where awareness of the issue is low, or because of a higher or different physiological sensitivity (e.g. in young apprentices, or differences between men and women).

• To increase knowledge of the legislative framework that is already in place to protect workers, as well as highlighting policy developments.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

18LTB503 European H&S Week 22-28 October 2018 – Healthy Workplaces Manage Dangerous Substances

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FOUR PILLARS UPDATE FROM DGSP

Government Announces Consultation on CDC Pensions

The Four Pillars Agreement committed Royal Mail and the CWU to introduce a new, groundbreaking Collective Defined Contribution pension scheme to provide all members with a wage and security in retirement.

Since the Agreement was signed back in February 2018, both parties have been working hard to lobby the Government and secure the widest political support to enact the necessary legislation to get our CDC scheme introduced as quickly as possible.

After months of joint campaigning, the Government yesterday announced it intends to launch a formal consultation on enabling CDC schemes in the UK. Their statement says:

“Collective forms of pension saving offer interesting new possibilities, and the Department is currently working through proposals for the first Collective Defined Contribution schemes in the UK. We intend to launch a formal consultation in the autumn.”

The Government’s announcement comes in the wake of the recent Work and Pensions Select Committee report which set out the advantages of CDC and demonstrated wide support for collective pensions from a variety of stakeholders including the TUC, CBI, Royal Society of Arts (RSA), Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) and the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.

The launch of the consultation clearly represents a welcome and important step forward in our historic journey to introduce the UK’s first ever CDC scheme and is testament to the Union’s long and successful pension campaign. The consultation also marks a significant milestone in our efforts to secure a decent wage in retirement that provides a good standard of living for all our members in their later years.

Building on the wide support we have secured across the political spectrum, CWU and RMG will continue to work hard over the coming months to highlight the benefits of CDC schemes and work closely with DWP officials to put the legislation and regulatory framework in place to secure the earliest possible introduction.

Any enquiries in relation to the contents of this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P) Department.

Yours sincerely,

 

Terry Pullinger

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

18LTB514 – Government Announces Consultation on CDC Pensions

The Post Office – Election of: 

• 9 Post Office Area Representatives Crowns/Admin

• 2 Post Office Representatives for Supply Chain

 

Further to LTB 479/18 dated 22nd August 2018. At the close of nominations at 14:00 on the 5th September 2018 the following had been received:

 

AREA REPRESENTATIVES CROWNS/ADMIN

NORTH WEST LONDON

Garrie Bond

London Phoenix

*Elected

 

EASTERN & NORTH LONDON

Clive Tickner

London No 7

*Elected

 

SOUTH EAST ENGLAND

Peter Meech

S.E London Postal & Counter

*Elected

 

SOUTH CENTRAL

Susan Angell-Whyte

Wessex South Central

*Elected

 

SOUTH WALES & SOUTH WEST

Chris Roche

Plymouth & East Cornwall

*Elected

 

ANGLIA & MIDLANDS

Tim Pavelin

Eastern No 4

*Elected

 

YORKSHIRE

Richard Titterington

Leeds No 1 Amal

*Elected

 

NORTH WALES & NORTH WEST

Neil Barry

North Lancs & Cumbria

*Ballot Required

Steph Mulholland

Greater Manchester

 

 

SCOTLAND & NORTH EAST ENGLAND

Carole Bowmaker

Glasgow District Amal

*Elected

 

SUPPLY CHAIN REPRESENTATIVES

SOUTH AREA

Robert Jones

East London Postal

*Elected

NORTH AREA & N.I CROWNS

David Bowmaker

Glasgow District Amal

*Ballot Required

Michael Moroney

North Wales & Marches

 

 

The timetable for the ballot is as follows:

Ballot Papers Dispatched              Friday 14th September 2018

Ballot Closes                                 Tuesday 2nd October 2018 (14:00)

Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department on telephone number 020 8971 7237, or email address sdgs@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

 

Tony Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

18LTB513

National Eye Health Week 24 to 30 September 2018 (NEHW) – Vision Really Matters

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

This year’s National Eye Health Week (NEHW) will take place from 24th to 30th September 2018, promoting the importance of eye health and the need for regular sight tests for all. Sight is the sense people fear losing the most, yet many of us don’t know how to look after our eyes! Think about preparing for a local awareness raising campaign now.

The CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department has continued supporting and working with the Eyecare Trust an organisation that campaigns to raise awareness about the need for regular eye tests and that the eyes can also give a clear view of what’s occurring in other parts of the body. In fact, an eye test could reveal a life or death situation.

As well as detecting vision problems and eye diseases such as glaucoma or macular degeneration, they can sometimes also reveal whether you’re suffering from a number of serious health conditions. Getting an eye examination is a bit like getting a more extensive physical examination as there are a variety of eye and general health conditions that can be picked up in an eye examination that are essentially silent but highly treatable – if they’re picked up early.

The Eyecare Trust states that poor uptake of sight tests is probably the biggest risk to the nation’s eye health. Around 20 million people in the UK fail to have their sight tested once every two years, yet a simple sight test can detect glaucoma years before a person notices lost vision, and many childhood eye conditions which can be permanently corrected if diagnosed early enough. The Eyecare Trust is conveying the message that sight tests really are essential health checks.

Did you know?

◦ 2 million people in the UK are living with sight loss that is severe enough to have a significant impact on their daily lives. Half of this sight loss is avoidable.

◦ A sight test can detect early signs of conditions like glaucoma, which can be treated if found soon enough.

◦ During a sight test, other health conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure may be detected.

◦ For healthy eyes, eat well, don’t smoke and wear eye protection in bright sunlight.

◦ Sight problems aside, eye examinations can detect a range of serious diseases.

Here’s how a simple eye test could help detect other serious medical conditions and diseases:-

Diabetes

Around 750,000 people in the UK have undiagnosed diabetes, according to Diabetes UK. Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes can creep up very slowly and are often dismissed as normal tiredness, or just part of growing old, but cases can be diagnosed from eye tests. High blood-sugar related to diabetes can cause problems in the small blood vessels resulting in diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to blindness. An optometrist will be able to spot early characteristic changes, such as tiny leaks from damaged blood vessels. Nowhere are the blood vessels more important than in the retina at the back of the eye and eye care professionals have a window to look at this, and they can spot very early signs of diabetes and the effect it has on blood vessels in the back of the eye. The message is that you don’t need to go blind with diabetes as it’s treatable and the key is to pick it up early. Not only that, but the sooner diabetes is detected, the sooner it can be treated or managed, meaning other potential complications – including ulcers, kidney and heart damage – can be prevented too.

High blood pressure

Effects of high blood pressure – a condition which affects one in three UK adults but is often symptomless, and is linked with stroke, heart disease and vascular dementia – can sometimes be seen inside the eye. This is because the force of blood passing through blood vessels in the retina can cause hypertensive retinopathy. Blood vessel walls may thicken, narrowing the vessels and restricting blood from reaching the retina. In some cases, it becomes swollen and its function is limited, and there may be bleeding behind the eye.

High cholesterol/cardiovascular problems

Because of the high blood flow at the back of the eye, excessive cholesterol – which is linked to cardiovascular problems – may also be spotted there, looking like deposits in the blood vessels. Changes in the patterns of ocular veins and arteries can also be linked to cardiovascular disease and stroke. Indications of strokes and other cardiovascular problems can be seen in the eyes. The back of the eye is part of the brain, so anything that can affect the brain can affect the eye – and often they affect the eye first.

Arthritis

Although arthritis is characterised by joint inflammation, autoimmune forms of the disease (like rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis) can affect other parts of the body including the eyes, and the inflammation it causes can be spotted in eye tests. This inflammation (uveitis) is the same kind that can attack joints. It can slowly destroy the eye too. Arthritis is another one of the diseases where eye examinations are important, as the ocular manifestations can have grave consequences if left untreated.

Alzheimer’s disease

Although not available yet, it’s hoped that a simple eye test could soon be used to identify the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers are looking at whether warning signs can be detected using special computer software to analyse images of the eye. Researchers have reported that it will soon be possible to look into someone’s eyes using an inexpensive machine and discover something which may suggest a risk of developing dementia. The research promises early warning in a non-invasive way, and the test, which will identify differences in the retinal vessels, may even be able to differentiate between different types of dementia.

Tumours

The eye has a large blood supply relative to its size and for this reason, certain types of tumours can spread to the eye, as well as primary tumours developing there – although this is rare. Brain tumours can also be spotted in an eye test, sometimes through swelling of the optic nerve linked to pressure from the tumour.

Driving and Vision – safety and legal responsibility!

It’s important to have your sight tested if you think you may have a problem with your eyesight, in fact, studies suggest that up to one in five middle aged drivers are taking to the road with their eyesight not as good as it should be. It is not just common sense to ensure your eyesight is good enough to enable you to drive comfortably, but your safety and that of others is at risk and you will be breaking the law if it isn’t. A driver of a car or motorbike must be able to read a number plate, with symbols, 79mm high by 50mm wide, from a distance of 20 metres AND a driver should have a visual acuity of at least 6/12 with both eyes open. This can be done with glasses or contact lenses if you usually wear them. The law also requires drivers to have a wide field of vision. Your optometrist will tell you if you may not meet the field of vision standard. Bus and Lorry drivers are required to have a higher standard of vision. If you are not able to do this, your insurance may be invalidated. Driving with uncorrected defective vision is an offence punishable with a heavy fine, penalty licence points and possible driving disqualification.

The Eyecare Trust

For more information visit:- http://www.eyecaretrust.org.uk/

Or Contact:-

The Eyecare Trust

PO Box 804

Aylesbury

Buckinghamshire

HP20 9DF

Tel: 0845 129 5001

Email: info@eyecaretrust.org.uk

The Eyecare Trust is a registered charity that exists to raise awareness of all aspects of eye health and the importance of regular eye care. The Trust’s public information and awareness raising campaigns are aimed at helping ensure that eye care is kept high on the UK public’s health agenda and provides valuable advice and information.

Attachments:

• All About Eye Test Leaflet

• Top Tips For Good Eye Health

• Smoking and Sight Loss

• Women’s Eye Health

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

CWU Working with the Eyecare Trust

18LTB512 National Eye Health Week 24 to 30 September 2018

all-about-eye-tests-leaflet-2018

smoking-and-sight-loss-leaflet-2018

top-tips-leaflet-2018

womens-eye-health-leaflet-2018

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Gas Safety Week 17–23 September 2018

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

The CWU is proud to again be supporting Gas Safety Week this year, 2018. The eighth annual Gas Safety Week sees organisations from across the UK working together to raise awareness of the dangers of poorly maintained gas appliances, which can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

Gas Safety Week is an annual safety week to raise awareness of gas safety and the importance of taking care of your gas appliances. It is coordinated by Gas Safe Register, the official list of gas engineers who are legally allowed to work on gas.

The week aims to raise awareness amongst householders and landlords, about the importance of having their gas appliances serviced on an annual basis. 5000 organisation across the UK signed-up last year pledging to work together to raise awareness of the dangers of poorly maintained gas appliances. Unsafe gas appliances can put lives at risk from gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO2) poisoning.

This year, Gas Safety Week is addressing a whole range of gas safety matters throughout the week, from tackling illegal gas work to reminding people to avoid DIY when it comes to gas appliances and instead leave it the experts – registered engineers who are legally qualified to make sure your appliances are working safely and efficiently.

With 22 deaths and nearly 1,000 gas-related injuries in the last three years, it’s vital that people make sure their gas appliances are safety checked every year, by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Anyone working on gas appliances while not being Gas Safe registered is working illegally.

Check your gas safe appliances every year
Gas appliances should be safety checked once a year and serviced regularly by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Check your engineer is Gas Safe registered

Agents, landlords and tenants can find and check an engineer at www.gassaferegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500.

Check your engineer’s Gas Safe Register ID card

Make sure they are qualified for the work you need doing. You can find this information on the back of the card.

In supporting the 2018 Gas Safety Week, we are reminding Branches, Safety Reps and Members in a joint awareness campaign with RoSPA, HSE and the ‘Gas Safe Register’ to alert people to the importance of Gas Safety in the home. In the UK, 21 million households use gas for heating, hot water and cooking. There are approximately 7,500 unregistered gas fitters actively working in the UK today with 250,000 illegal gas jobs done every year by unregistered gas fitters.

Badly-fitted and poorly-serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, explosions, fires, and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Dangerous gas work can kill and 22 people have died and 1000 have been injured in the last three years through Carbon Monoxide poisoning and other incidents. Carbon Monoxide symptoms can be mistaken for flu, food poisoning, viral infections and tiredness. A carbon monoxide alarm costs around £15 to £20 – every home should have CO Alarms and Smoke Alarms – but they are not a substitute for regular servicing.

The ‘Gas Safe Register’ is the government approved registration scheme for gas engineers in the UK, Isle of Man and Guernsey. There are more than 120,000 Gas Safe Registered engineers. There are more than 60,000 Gas Safe Registered businesses. All gas appliances need regular servicing and a gas safety check every year (or in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions). All landlords and housing associations are legally obliged to ensure that all gas appliances and related pipes and flues within their rental properties are checked every 12 months for safety. They must issue a copy of the certificate to the tenant within 28 days of the test and give a copy to any new tenants moving in.

Not all gas engineers can work on all gas appliances. Gas Safe Registered engineers carry an ID card that shows the type of gas work they are legally registered and qualified to do e.g. cooker, boilers, gas fires etc.

Dangerous DIY – One in three people would fit a gas appliance themselves to save money. This is extremely risky and dangerous.

If you suspect an illegal gas worker report it to Gas Safe Register:

Gas Safe Register

PO BOX 6804

Basingstoke

RG24 4NB

0800 408 5500

Website: www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk/reportillegal

‘Gas Safe Register’ also offers technical support for registered gas engineers. Call the technical helpline on 0800 408 5577, or visit the ‘Gas Safe Register’ Website at: www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk

‘Gas Safe Register’ replaced the ‘CORGI’ gas registration scheme as of April 9, 2009. Corgi ID cards are no longer valid. You can check card ID details instantly online. Only ‘Gas Safe Register’ registered engineers can work on gas and fit, fix and service boilers, gas fires and most types of gas cookers in your home – it’s the law. Keeping the public safe from dangerous gas work is ‘Gas Safe Register’s top priority. If someone other than a ‘Gas Safe Registered’ engineer carries out gas work in your home, you are risking the safety of both yourself and your family, other residents, visitors and your property.

Simple search and identity check

Finding a Gas Safe Registered engineer is easy. You can find an engineer in your area online at the ‘Gas Safe Register’ website: www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk – or by calling the free helpline: 0800 408 5500. Every engineer on the Gas Safe Register carries an ID card with their own unique licence number. The back of the ID card lists what gas appliances your engineer is qualified to work on. The message from Gas Safe Register is clear: Before you have any gas work done in your home, make sure you ask for the ID card and check the front and back.

Gas Safe Register’s top ten tips: Great advice for Gas Safety Week 2018

1 Have all your gas appliances, including boilers, gas cookers and gas fires, safety checked annually.

2 Always use a Gas Safe Registered engineer to fit, fix and check gas appliances in your home – it’s the law and will help keep you safe.

3 Always ask to see an engineer’s Gas Safe ID card and check the back of the card to ensure they are qualified to carry out the specific type of gas work you need.

4 To find a Gas Safe Registered engineer in your area, call the free helpline on 0800 408 5500 or go to GasSafeRegister.co.uk.

5 Recognise the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, collapse and loss of consciousness.

6 Check gas appliances for warning signs that they are not working properly e.g. lazy yellow flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks or stains on or around the appliance and too much condensation in the room.

7 Buy an audible carbon monoxide alarm for your home and make sure it is located near to your gas appliances in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidance. Carbon monoxide can leak from appliances and kill.

8 Only use gas appliances for their intended purpose e.g. don’t use a gas oven to heat a room or use a gas barbeque inside the house.

9 Always ensure there is enough ventilation for your gas appliances to allow them to burn correctly and make sure you are not blocking any air vents that provide an air supply to the gas appliance.

10 Anybody working with gas has to be Gas Safe Registered by law. To report someone working without registration, call Gas Safe Register on the free phone number 0800 408 5500.

Did you know?

• Every year thousands of people across the UK are diagnosed with carbon monoxide poisoning. It is a highly poisonous gas. You can’t see it, taste it, or smell it, but it can kill quickly with no warning.

• Gas Safe Register found almost 5 million people across the UK are putting themselves at risk by employing illegal gas fitters who aren’t properly qualified. 65% of all gas jobs carried out by illegal fitters were unsafe, with 1 in 5 so dangerous they had to be disconnected immediately.

• 3 in 4 victims of illegal gas work hired the worker following a friend’s recommendation and 1 in 4 found them through an advert, wrongly assuming they were registered. In all cases the householder did not check the credentials of the worker before the work was carried out – you should always check the official Gas Safe Register.

• Although there is awareness that gas appliances need to be safety checked annually, 43% of Britons don’t do it, and 10% have gas appliances which have never been checked.

Further Information

Gas Safe Register

200 Cedarwood

Chineham Park

Crockford Lane

Basingstoke

Hampshire

RG24 8WD

Consumer enquiries

0800 408 5500

enquiries@gassaferegister.co.uk

Engineer enquiries

0800 408 5577

register@gassaferegister.co.uk

Attached Materials

• Gas Safety Week Leaflet (pdf)

• Gas Safety Poster (pdf)

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

18LTB511 Gas Safety Week 17–23 September 2018

GSW18 Leaflet

GSW18 Poster

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HUGHIE LENAGHAN – Former Branch Secretary – Harrow & District Branch

It is with regret that I write to inform you that Hughie Lenaghan passed away on Wednesday, 29th August. Hughie was the Branch Secretary of Harrow Amalgamated Branch for a number of years and was a very committed Representative who always put the members first. Hughie also served on the LDC3 Committee, he was a Divisional Representative in the South Central Division and was also elected as London Regional Secretary in the early 1990s.

At this sad time our thoughts are of course with Hughie’s family and on behalf of the CWU, I convey our deepest sympathy and condolences. He will be sorely missed by members, colleagues and friends within the union and the wider labour movement.

We will forward details of Hughie’s funeral arrangements in due course.

Any enquiries on the content of this LTB please forward to gsoffice@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward

General Secretary

18LTB508 HUGHIE LENAGHAN – FORMER BRANCH SECRETARY – HARROW & DISTRICT BRANCH

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RMG/CWU Road Safety Campaign – ‘Driving At A Safe Distance’ – “Don’t Break The 2-Second Rule” W/C Monday 10 September 2018

Dear Colleagues,

Background and Importance of this Road Safety Communications Campaign:‎

Driving too close to the vehicle in front of you is dangerous making it very unlikely you would be able to avoid a collision if the driver in front were to brake suddenly or in an emergency.

No one likes to be tailgated, yet millions of people do it every day. Some do it because they are running late or impatient, while others tailgate out of spite or “road rage.” Still others follow too closely out of sheer ignorance of its dangers.

Tailgating is by far one of the most dangerous habits a driver can pick up. According to a study from ‘Drivecam Inc’, a global driver risk management company, drivers are at the highest risk of rear-ending a vehicle when they are following less than 2 seconds behind the vehicle in front of them. When drivers have to stop abruptly, tailgaters are often left with little or no time to brake. Following too closely to the vehicle in front of you is asking for trouble, so drivers need to be aware of the risks so they can avoid a tailgating accident.

Is tailgating illegal?

Tailgating is a dangerous driving offence which can end with serious consequences. Tailgating falls under the careless driving offence and drivers prosecuted for tailgating can be fined a £100 charge and have three penalty points added on their licence. In the worst cases, tailgating can result in a driving ban or even a prison sentence if a serious collision occurs as a result. However, it was recently revealed that many UK drivers are ignorant of the fact that tailgating is a fineable offence. Research by ‘confused.com’ revealed that almost half of UK drivers admitted to being guilty of tailgating, with reasons being cited as other motorists driving too slowly. Tailgating is offence in which one motorist drives too closely behind the car in front. It was also revealed that 79 per cent of Brits were not aware of the correct distance to be behind a driver on the motorway. By driving too close to the vehicle in front, drivers are leaving themselves too little time to react in an emergency.

Facts and Figures:

• In 2017/18 Royal Mail were involved in 655 reported accidents where the primary cause was considered to be driving too close to the rear of the vehicle in front. This equates to 10% of the year’s accident claims.

• The cost associated to these incidents was 16% of Royal Mail Group’s overall claims spending for that year at £2.55 million.

• Drivers are being reminded to keep their distance as road safety charity Brake reveals that 6 in 10 drivers admit to risky tailgating.

• 14% of casualties on our roads are caused by people tailgating.

Advice For All Royal Mail Group Drivers (Royal Mail, Parcelforce, RMSS, RMPFS, Engineering, Fleet etc.)

• Keep alert and pay attention to the road and other road users, good and bad.

• Leave at least a two second gap between your vehicle and the vehicle in front.

• If you are being tailgated you should:

◦ Slow down – ease your foot off the accelerator – this enables you to control the speed of the vehicle behind and then let the driver pass as soon as possible.

◦ move into the inside lane, if it is safe to do so – make sure you apply the two second rule to any vehicle when travelling behind a vehicle in front.

The 2-Second Rule

• As the car in front passes a fixed point, such as a sign or a bridge, start to say ‘only a fool breaks the 2-second rule’ or ‘one thousand and one’, ‘one thousand and two’ etc., in normal talking rate.

• Adjust your driving to the road and conditions remember that in bad road conditions (rain, snow, and ice) you’ll need more time to stop so allow double the distance and leave at least a 4 seconds gap.

ASR Activity Plan and Checklist

By carrying out the following activities during w/c 10 September 2018, ASRs can help to raise the profile of Road Safety and keep our driver members safe.

ASR’s are to be fully involved and consulted on joint RSW activities

Agree with your Operational Managers, which units you will jointly support during this Road Safety Campaign, and:-

• Assist the Front Line Manager in delivering the WTLL

• Carry out Spot Checks and Safety Inspections

Drivers:

• Check that drivers have received the WTLL briefing on Driving at a Safe Distance?

• Do they understand the dangers or driving too close to the vehicle in front?

• Have they seen the posters about the 2-seconds rule?

• Are they aware of what action to take when being ‘tailgated’?

Use the Road Safety Campaign Posters and materials to talk to drivers about driving at a safe distance and ‘tailgating’.

Ask Front Line Managers:

• What activities have they completed for the Driving at a Safe Distance campaign?

• Have they made all drivers aware of the actions they need to take?

• Have they delivered the WTLL and displayed the poster?

• Have they completed a Driver/Vehicle SMAT concentrating on Driving at a Safe Distance?

Observe Vehicles and Drivers:

Talk to drivers, check they are aware of the campaign messages and things they can do.

Your proactive support is important and is much appreciated. Don’t wait for Managers to contact you – contact them and ensure they comply and support this campaign.

Attachments:

• WTLL Road Safety Campaign – Driving at a Safe Distance (DRAFT)

• ‘Don’t Break The 2-Second Rule’ Posters (2)

• Road Safety Campaign ‘Driving At A Safe Distance’ Managers’ Checklist

• Road Safety Campaign ‘Driving At A Safe Distance’ CWU Area Safety Reps Activity Plan Guide

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

18LTB505 RMG CWU Road Safety Campaign – ‘Driving At A Safe Distance’

Driving at a Safe Distance – Managers Checklist Final

Poster 1 – Driving at a Safe Distance – Small Vehicle Final

Poster 2 – Driving at a Safe Distance – Large Vehicle Final

RSC Driving Safe Distance Sept 2018 ASR activity plan Final

WTLL Road Safety Campaign – Driving at a Safe Distance – Sept 2018 DRAFT v2

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