Van tyre/wheel replacement

[jetblack]

Just read the Courier and in one of the letters a postie says "I understand why we're not allowed to fit a spare tyre on any van we use for Royal Mail, or even carry one. But why don't the vans come fitted with a canister of emergency air/sealer ?"

I've been doing the job for 20 years - I have fitted many many wheels, and not only to a Royal Mail van. I've never had a problem. I suspect the vast majority of us haven't - and I'm talking 99.5% here.

So I, personally, do not understand why I can't now change a wheel. I work on a rural delivery. I had to go to the nearest garage this week (and this was a busy week,Christmas mail etc) to get a tyre with low tread changed - adding at least 2 hours onto my day (and the cost of fuel). A few years back it would have cost me, and Royal Mail, 5 minutes to change the tyre myself. Its ridiculous.

I know full well how to torque up a wheel nut - but if I need to get a ticket in order to do so could someone please put me on the course where I can attain it ? Its not rocket science.

If there were individuals who didn't feel comfortable changing a wheel then make an RAC callout optional - I have absolutely no problem with that. Or, as the letter writer in the Courier suggests, give them a can of tyre repairer. Or both


But why should common sense be put on the back foot simply to satisfy political correctness and statistical improbabilities ? Its not as if our garage mechanic doesn't have enough work to do already, what with the aged fleet he's having to deal with.

This isn't progress. And it costs us all.

[halfull]

i for one would not want to lye down on a wet dirty floor to change a wheel for this company,
we work too hard as it is.

[datasaint]

It's all to do with liability.

If employees injure themselves changing a wheel, RM is liable, employee will claim they weren't trained. If employees fit the tyre incorrectly and it causes a car crash RM is liable again.

Basically they'd rather have the workshop do it than take any risk.

You should also note if you do change a tyre and get injured or injure somebody else RM will likely throw the book at you.

[97gaz]

M

[priority102]

Myself and a couple of other staff have been trained to change wheels. We have to have cones and warning signs out etc. However they won't let us use trolley jacks or torque wrenches as we're not trained to use them. It really makes a mockery of the health and safety aspect since I'm sure that using the crappy vehicle jacks constantly is much more dangerous than a trolley jack.

As to the reason why they want only trained personnel changing them, we had a lad lose a wheel a couple of years ago after forgetting to tighten the wheel nuts after a change.

I too along with a few others in our office have also been trained to change wheels (only up to SWB Transit size) but even after training you are ONLY permitted to change a wheel if the van is in the delivery office yard, however if you do change a wheel in the yard you MUST attend the workshop within 60 miles / one week of the wheel change to have the nuts checked and torqued otherwise you will be deemed to have not followed correct procedure. If you are out on delivery and have a flat you must call the RAC.

[97gaz]

[

[dave72]

Can't change a wheel on the van, there isn't a spare in them

[wannabeek]

This is what I struggle to understand. Most people who drive a great deal in their daily lives are quite capable of changing a tyre safely. I must have changed over 50 in my life which I don't think is unusual considering the miles and vehicles I have driven.

Some people are understandably unable or unwilling to change a tyre, that's fair enough.

Some people are incompetent and don't tighten the nuts letting the wheel fly off down the road or maybe try to do it on a blind bend. So therefore none of us is permitted to change a tyre?

A fella at work a while back left his handbrake off on an incline and the van rolled forward into a customer's door. Does that mean we should none of us be permitted to drive because some of our colleagues do things which are dangerous and stupid?

[jetblack]

Can't change a wheel on the van, there isn't a spare in them

There is in mine - I even have to check it for tread+pressure on the weekly van check form.

Can I just mention, also, that where I work the mobile phone signal is very sketchy. For large tracts of my run there is no signal at all. Am I seriously supposed to walk (up to) 4 miles in the hope of finding someone home, so that I can use their landline to ring up the RAC ?

With regards the odd and rare incident whereby a postie has forgotten to tighten up the wheel nuts - the very same thing could happen if it were the mechanic changing the wheel. Its called human error. Its annoying, I know, but unavoidable, even in the best of systems with countless checks and balances.

I think maybe next time I have the (dubious) pleasure of speaking to my line manager I might ask about the possibilty of doing the training that some of you have undergone - in order to change a f......n wheel.


Mind you, knowing my particular line managers resistance to a) making any decision one way or the other or b) using his common sense, I won't hold out too much hope.

[wannabeek]

I'll tell you what I haven't done.

I haven't changed a RM tyre by myself without training while out in the arse end of nowhere, taking just 15 mins.

I then didn't get back and tell the lino that there's a flat in the back which the AA bloke left in there after he got out to me and changed my tyre in record time.

[Tman]

Can't change a wheel on the van, there isn't a spare in them

With regards the odd and rare incident whereby a postie has forgotten to tighten up the wheel nuts - the very same thing could happen if it were the mechanic changing the wheel. Its called human error. Its annoying, I know, but unavoidable, even in the best of systems with countless checks and balances.
.

The difference being that the mechanic is paid not to make a mistake, and he'll face the inevitable consequences if he does, whereas a postie is not judged to be competent using tools and if RM permits/turns a blind eye when he changes a wheel, then RM is in deep shite.
I don't suppose you'd be too happy if that "odd incident" led to your family being wiped out though?

[jetblack]

Can't change a wheel on the van, there isn't a spare in them

With regards the odd and rare incident whereby a postie has forgotten to tighten up the wheel nuts - the very same thing could happen if it were the mechanic changing the wheel. Its called human error. Its annoying, I know, but unavoidable, even in the best of systems with countless checks and balances.
.

The difference being that the mechanic is paid not to make a mistake, and he'll face the inevitable consequences if he does, whereas a postie is not judged to be competent using tools and if RM permits/turns a blind eye when he changes a wheel, then RM is in deep shite.
I don't suppose you'd be too happy if that "odd incident" led to your family being wiped out though?

No, I'm sorry, that isn't a good enough argument. You are gonna have to provide figures to back it up. How many times has a family been wiped out in the last 50 years due to a postman failing to tighten his wheel nuts correctly ?

I don't have the figures to hand - but I'm guessing zero - which makes your argument little better than scaremongering. A moral panic, with no justification in the real world.
I understand that RM wants to cover its arse and everything - but how would it not be liable if a mechanic failed to torque up a wheel correctly ?
And how long would it take to show someone how to use a torque wrench ? 1/2 hour ?

Like I say, and others have said, if others wish to have the RAC change a wheel for them I have absolutely no problem with that. I myself though am prepared to take responsibility (and liability if need be) - and so should be allowed to change a wheel (as indeed I did for circa 17 years with absolutely no issues).

Just do what I haven't done.

I haven't changed a RM tyre by myself without training while out in the arse end of nowhere, taking just 15 mins.

I then didn't get back and tell the lino that there's a flat in the back which the AA bloke left in there after he got out to me and changed my tyre in record time.

LOL

And I haven't changed a RM tyre myself in the middle of nowhere. And I didn't then ring up the RAC at the end of the day to come out and "change" the wheel for me - or not to check the torque/take the flat away.

The problem is, in us (not) doing this, we are laying ourselves open to disciplinary action these days. Its wrong. We could, potentially, be disciplined for using common sense. Something is very wrong here.

A mechanic, a couple of years ago, told me it was the unions doing - not a management initiative.
If this is true, is there any CWU rep knocking about that cares to explain this ?

[Tman]

No, I'm sorry, that isn't a good enough argument. You are gonna have to provide figures to back it up. How many times has a family been wiped out in the last 50 years due to a postman failing to tighten his wheel nuts correctly ?

Probably none, but having untightened wheels fly off vehicles isn't unusual. RM don't want to paying compensation for when it does happen.

[Bert66]

Can't change a wheel on the van, there isn't a spare in them

With regards the odd and rare incident whereby a postie has forgotten to tighten up the wheel nuts - the very same thing could happen if it were the mechanic changing the wheel. Its called human error. Its annoying, I know, but unavoidable, even in the best of systems with countless checks and balances.
.

The difference being that the mechanic is paid not to make a mistake, and he'll face the inevitable consequences if he does, whereas a postie is not judged to be competent using tools and if RM permits/turns a blind eye when he changes a wheel, then RM is in deep shite.
I don't suppose you'd be too happy if that "odd incident" led to your family being wiped out though?

No, I'm sorry, that isn't a good enough argument. You are gonna have to provide figures to back it up. How many times has a family been wiped out in the last 50 years due to a postman failing to tighten his wheel nuts correctly ?

I don't have the figures to hand - but I'm guessing zero - which makes your argument little better than scaremongering. A moral panic, with no justification in the real world.
I understand that RM wants to cover its arse and everything - but how would it not be liable if a mechanic failed to torque up a wheel correctly ?
And how long would it take to show someone how to use a torque wrench ? 1/2 hour ?

Like I say, and others have said, if others wish to have the RAC change a wheel for them I have absolutely no problem with that. I myself though am prepared to take responsibility (and liability if need be) - and so should be allowed to change a wheel (as indeed I did for circa 17 years with absolutely no issues).

Just do what I haven't done.

I haven't changed a RM tyre by myself without training while out in the arse end of nowhere, taking just 15 mins.

I then didn't get back and tell the lino that there's a flat in the back which the AA bloke left in there after he got out to me and changed my tyre in record time.

LOL

And I haven't changed a RM tyre myself in the middle of nowhere. And I didn't then ring up the RAC at the end of the day to come out and "change" the wheel for me - or not to check the torque/take the flat away.

The problem is, in us (not) doing this, we are laying ourselves open to disciplinary action these days. Its wrong. We could, potentially, be disciplined for using common sense. Something is very wrong here.

A mechanic, a couple of years ago, told me it was the unions doing - not a management initiative.
If this is true, is there any CWU rep knocking about that cares to explain this ?

So just because something hasn't happened yet that makes it ok to take possible risks? You may well be capable of changing a wheel correctly and safely but what with an ever increasingly busy workload it is possible someone somewhere could rush this proceedure and cause a fatal accicident.
Prevention is certainly better than cure.

[jetblack]

Can't change a wheel on the van, there isn't a spare in them

With regards the odd and rare incident whereby a postie has forgotten to tighten up the wheel nuts - the very same thing could happen if it were the mechanic changing the wheel. Its called human error. Its annoying, I know, but unavoidable, even in the best of systems with countless checks and balances.
.

The difference being that the mechanic is paid not to make a mistake, and he'll face the inevitable consequences if he does, whereas a postie is not judged to be competent using tools and if RM permits/turns a blind eye when he changes a wheel, then RM is in deep shite.
I don't suppose you'd be too happy if that "odd incident" led to your family being wiped out though?

No, I'm sorry, that isn't a good enough argument. You are gonna have to provide figures to back it up. How many times has a family been wiped out in the last 50 years due to a postman failing to tighten his wheel nuts correctly ?

I don't have the figures to hand - but I'm guessing zero - which makes your argument little better than scaremongering. A moral panic, with no justification in the real world.
I understand that RM wants to cover its arse and everything - but how would it not be liable if a mechanic failed to torque up a wheel correctly ?
And how long would it take to show someone how to use a torque wrench ? 1/2 hour ?

Like I say, and others have said, if others wish to have the RAC change a wheel for them I have absolutely no problem with that. I myself though am prepared to take responsibility (and liability if need be) - and so should be allowed to change a wheel (as indeed I did for circa 17 years with absolutely no issues).

Just do what I haven't done.

I haven't changed a RM tyre by myself without training while out in the arse end of nowhere, taking just 15 mins.

I then didn't get back and tell the lino that there's a flat in the back which the AA bloke left in there after he got out to me and changed my tyre in record time.

LOL

And I haven't changed a RM tyre myself in the middle of nowhere. And I didn't then ring up the RAC at the end of the day to come out and "change" the wheel for me - or not to check the torque/take the flat away.

The problem is, in us (not) doing this, we are laying ourselves open to disciplinary action these days. Its wrong. We could, potentially, be disciplined for using common sense. Something is very wrong here.

A mechanic, a couple of years ago, told me it was the unions doing - not a management initiative.
If this is true, is there any CWU rep knocking about that cares to explain this ?

So just because something hasn't happened yet that makes it ok to take possible risks? You may well be capable of changing a wheel correctly and safely but what with an ever increasingly busy workload it is possible someone somewhere could rush this proceedure and cause a fatal accicident.
Prevention is certainly better than cure.

Why not do the job properly and stop me driving as well ? Maybe someone with an Advanced driving test pass could take over - just to be on the safe side. How about allowing me not to deliver to a mans house up the road cos he once suffered a psychotic episode 25 years ago when he was young and drank too much - always makes me feel edgy ? How about we say that everyone should have their hair cut to a regulation 1.5 inches - because, well, long hair might get stuck in the door and cause an accident ? How about RM save some money by refraining from sending me endless newsletters about the dangers of dogs/lifting incorrectly. Lets just not deliver to any houses that have dogs and not lift anything over and above the weight of a letter.

The irony is, is that they'll not let me change a wheel - cos it might (1 in a million chance) be dangerous - but they won't provide me with winter tyres (and/or a 4 wheel drive) for the ice and snow, even though there is overwhelming evidence to suggest this would prevent accidents. And why won't they ? Cos its too expensive. Seems to me that the appearence of managing risk is more important than the reality of managing risk.

Listen - its all probabilities and balancing risk - none of us know for sure that the sun is going to come up tommorow morning, but I'd be prepared to put my house on it. Likewise, with regards risks of posties changing wheels, I'd say that the benefits far (far) outweigh the risks given the available evidence.

If you disagree post some facts and figures so that we can better weigh up the risks.

I'll say again, this week I made two 45 mile round trips to have a tyre replaced. This cost myself 2 hours and a colleague 1 hour (who was waiting for me) - thats 3 hours at overtime rate for RM. Whats that ? £33 ? Plus £5 in fuel perhaps ? Pushing £40 in total. To change a wheel. That 3 years back I would have had done in 5 minutes.

You say - oh, but its risky, its risky. I say, no, it isn't.