Royal Mail Group (SHE) Safety Flash FY23 023 – ‘Yard Safety’

Royal Mail Group (SHE) Safety Flash FY23 023 – ‘Yard Safety’:

Introduction, Background and Description:

Royal Mail Group’s Safety Team have issued ‘RMG SHE Safety Flash FY23 023’ on the subject of ‘Yard Safety’ following a series of recent accidents in Delivery Office yards, including three in the last two weeks, involving vans in collisions with pedestrians, all of which resulted in staff members sustaining injuries.

Obviously with the increasing number of vehicles and people using yards in the run up to Christmas, there’s a need to raise awareness of yard hazards and good practice that front line workers should follow.

Royal Mail is set to hire 16,000 temporary workers for this year’s Christmas peak period, Royal Mail’s busiest period, with around double the normal volumes of parcels and stamped letters processed. The company has hired an additional 7,000 vehicles across the Royal Mail Group and hired over 1,000 road haulage contractors to transport festive mail and parcels across the country. Five seasonal parcel sorting centres in Atherstone, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Daventry and Greenford will operate during the Christmas peak period. Parcelforce Worldwide is also recruiting additional drivers and indoor temporary workers.

One collision in Royal Mail/Parcelforce yards is one too many, and with three individuals suffering physical injures in the last two weeks, action needs to be taken by all concerned to ensure that more is done to ensure everyone keeps themselves, others and each other safe, working together to control the risks.

Impact/Injuries:

The three recent accident victims who were struck by vehicles received minor physical injuries, initially given first aid and were subsequently treated at minor injury clinics, hospital A&Es and GP surgeries.

By law:

Every workplace must be safe for the people and vehicles using it.
Workplace traffic routes must be suitable for the people and vehicles using them.
Where vehicles and pedestrians share a traffic route, there must be enough separation between them.
By law, pedestrians or vehicles must be able to use a traffic route without causing danger to the health or safety of people working near it.
Roadways and footpaths should be separate whenever possible.
Employers and managers need to consider protection for people who work near vehicle routes.
By law, traffic routes must also keep vehicle routes far enough away from doors or gates that pedestrians use, or from pedestrian routes that lead on to them, so the safety of pedestrians is not threatened.
HSE advise that pedestrians should be kept away from areas where vehicles are working unless they need to be there.

Key Messages, Learning Points, Advice and Actions:

Postmen/Postwomen OPGs – Stay Safe:

Always follow the yard rules.
Wear Hi-Viz.
Use the designated pedestrian traffic routes and stick to them.
Keep traffic routes and walkways clear.
Drivers must obey speed limits and one-way systems.
Reverse park vans wherever possible.
Report any concerns, unsafe conditions, practices or acts to the Unit Manager/PiC.

Managers/PiCs/COMs:

When performing safety conversations with staff, ensure Yard Safety is covered.
Make sure employees are briefed on Yard Safety Rules.
Agency staff also need to be briefed on Yard Safety Rules.
Remind staff to adopt a ‘zero-tolerance’ approach.
Ensure that any identified yard safety risks are dealt with and remedial action taken.
Managers must monitor Yard Safety in line with the Yard Safety Rules and the Unit’s Yard Risk Assessment.
Make sure that visiting pedestrians report to the office. Visitors should be told about site safety policies and procedures before they are allowed into areas where vehicles operate. Provide visitors with Hi-Viz clothing.

CWU ASR/WSR Action:

ASRs/WSRs please ensure that this Safety Flash is communicated and brought to the attention of all appropriate delivery members and drivers in Royal Mail and Parcelforce and that the SHE Flash actions are deployed by PiCs/Unit Managers.
ASRs to concentrate attention on this matter during Workplace Safety Inspections and ensure delivery members are briefed.
Ensure the Yard Safety Rules are followed at all times and monitored by the Unit Manager/PiC.
Ensure that yard safety remedial actions, maintenance and repairs are closed out.

Attachments: