Unauthorised and Illegal Use of Private Cars on Delivery

[abuch1980]

I know of a senior postie that uses the van for personal 30 mile round trips to B &Q and dump runs. Which the DOM knows about!

[KilledOff]

Bumping this thread up.

Is there any exceptions at all for dom's letting delivery staff use their own private cars for delivery?

We have a few opg's in our office that simply don't want to van share, so the dom lets them use their private cars.

Our small office van parking yard only has enough spaces for fleet vans and in my opinion it is becoming a yard health and safety issue plus the fact it's getting increasingly difficult to park the fleet vans on the return to office as there's private cars taking up spaces unloading then hanging about until sign out.
An issue a couple of us has taken up with the Dom but with zero help back.

Thanks for advice/opinions.

[clashcityrocker]

Does justsayit still exist?
It would be worth asking them the question.

[guardianangel]

Thought you had to park your van on a driveway overnight for insurance purposes, 2 runners in our place take vans home but park in the street but have no drives,can they get done and can the manager if he has known about it.

[BenacreNick]

How do the vans get charged up overnight, if they're parked on the street ?

[Jefferson Starfish]

How do the vans get charged up overnight, if they're parked on the street ?

Not all offices have electric vans!

[KilledOff]

Letter to Branches




No. 633 /12
Ref V1
Date: 22 August 2012

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

Unauthorised and Illegal Use of Private Cars on Delivery - Warning
 
Following reports from ASRs of the continued use of Private Cars on Delivery following New Delivery Methods Revisions the following letter has been sent to the Royal Mail Operations Safety Director, the contents of which are self-explanatory. If Representatives are experiencing similar difficulties in their Areas please bring this LTB and below letter to the Management's attention.

Yours Sincerely
 
 
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

====================================================================================

Communication Workers Union
Dave Joyce National Health & Safety Officer
150 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1RX
Tel: 020 8971 7365/7308 E-Mail: djoyce@cwu.org
 
Our Ref: V1/DJ/kg
  
22nd August 2012

 
Gerry Teggart
National Safety Director
Royal Mail Operations
1st Floor,
Rathbone Place,
London, W1T 1HQ

 
Dear Gerry,
 
Unauthorised and Illegal Use of Private Cars on Delivery - Warning

A number of CWU ASRs have identified a serious risk for both the business and individual
members of staff at various Delivery Offices where Safety Inspections, checks and sampling have found that in some cases a considerable number of the deliveries went out in private cars, with staff members loading 5 or more pouches of mail in to each car. The ASRs concerned have diligently, repeatedly raised this in reports to DOMs and to the DSMs who have apparently taken no action or 'turned a blind eye'.
 
Apart from the lack of risk assessments or security assessments, the Business Transformation 2010 and Beyond National Agreement, top of page 23 it states; " All delivery revisions will be planned on the basis of no use of private cars. Private cars on delivery will cease upon the deployment of a Delivery Methods revision in a unit."
 
At that point all authorisations and insurance cover are withdrawn. It would therefore be a serious Conduct Code, disciplinary offence for the DOM and DSM to allow and encourage staff to continue using private cars on delivery, placing the individuals at risk, other road users at risk and the business vicariously liable.
 
We have unfortunately had several cases of postmen caught by the Police using their private car on delivery without commercial use insurance, one was caught on camera and televised on the Police Camera Action - Police Interceptors TV programme much to the embarrassment of all concerned. The Postmen caught received a fixed penalty £300 fine for no commercial use insurance, 6 points on their Drivers Licence, their cars were seized at the roadside and impounded with a £115 tow away fee plus £15 per day storage and they had to pay for full Business Motor insurance before the Police would release their cars. So it's really not worth it to them.
 
Royal Mail are putting their workers at risk of driving without insurance by encouraging them to use their cars on delivery.
 
Around 30 per cent of traffic accidents involve somebody at work. That figure represents an alarming 1,000 deaths and 13,000 casualties every year,  and people at work are over-represented in some types of accident, including those caused by fatigue, speed and the use of mobile phones.
 
The government has run several campaigns to encourage companies of all sizes across all sectors to improve their occupational road risk management (ORR).
 
A revised police road death investigation manual of procedures for determining corporate
liability states that police will investigate all at-work road deaths for possible prosecution and report any employer failure in safety management or deficiency in driver training to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).
 
The Road Safety Act 2006, introduced offences of causing death by careless driving, and
causing death while driving unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured, threatens uninformed
managers.
 
Frequently, such private cars are not properly insured and may not be roadworthy.
 
Under corporate killing legislation it is now easier for Royal Mail to be punished with unlimited fines and even jail for gross negligence manslaughter.
 
Royal Mail's risk lies not only in vehicles but also driver competency, health, journey, work schedule, even vehicle suitability. Directors need to understand that no legislation specifically identifies risk. Legally, authoritative guidance cannot be ignored. No company or person can delegate risk. Yet occupational road risk has to be identified and assessed in the workplace-by law.
 
Royal Mail does not have a programme to control the quality of vehicle maintenance on these private cars or the driver's attention to needing more training but Royal Mail is still in direct control of where these drivers go and how they get there.
 
In a recent survey, Leicester-based fleet consultancy 'Total Motion Vehicle Monitor' found that of 4,768 company and privately-owned business cars, 23 per cent were not roadworthy and 39 per cent not properly maintained. Only 11 per cent of company drivers regularly conducted car safety checks.
 
One million UK business drivers have never been asked to produce their licences for employer checking, yet legally it is vital for employers to know the status of their employees' driving licences.
 
The only defence against health and safety action is proof that every precaution was taken to prevent an incident. Few people perform a job that is more dangerous than driving. It is imperative that directors encourage the workforce to focus solely on getting to their destinations and doing their delivery safely and not rushing round in their private car.
 
I am copying this letter to Eddy Tarn HSE National Head of Utilities Group due to the efforts of our Area Safety Reps being blatantly ignored by DOMs and DSMs despite their constructive challenging of these practices and 'stepping in' without any support from local managers at all.

I suggest you ask the Regional Safety Directors to run a joint check with our CWU Area Safety Reps to determine the scale of the problem and take the necessary remedial action through clear communications, to ensure the practice is stopped.
 

Yours Sincerely


Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
 

Is the above LTB still valid or can delivery opg's now use their own private cars?

Thank you.

[fb1969]

No idea why anyone would want to use their own car for RM purposes. But if they do, I hope they fully inform their insurance company of the exact things they will be using it for.

[Woody Guthrie]

It has never at any point been acceptable to carry any mail in a private vehicle.

That's a breach of mail security, gross misconduct possibly leading to dismissal.

Always has been even when using your car was allowed.

[KilledOff]

Thanks Woody and more or less the same as I've been advising colleagues but seen as the office grinch.

The office biatch that does the manager's admin (instead of his own delivery) claims and tells delivery staff if you've got business insurance then you can use your private car.

[hassanizhar]

Using private cars for deliveries can be a solution in certain situations, but it should be managed carefully to ensure the safety and efficiency of operations within the office. It's important to strike a balance between accommodating employee preferences and maintaining order in the office parking yard.

First and foremost, it's crucial to review and clarify your company's policies regarding the use of private vehicles for work-related tasks. Some companies allow this under specific conditions, such as when company vehicles are unavailable or when there's a legitimate reason for employees to use their own cars.

However, health and safety should always be a top priority. If the office parking yard is becoming crowded with private cars, potentially leading to safety issues or hindering the return of fleet vans, it's time to address the situation. Here are some steps to consider:

Review the Policy: Ensure that the company's policy regarding the use of private cars for deliveries is clear and communicated to all employees. Outline the conditions under which this is allowed.

Parking Allocation: If private car use is permitted, establish a designated parking area for these vehicles separate from the fleet van parking yard. This can help alleviate congestion and safety concerns.

Time Limitations: Implement time limitations for private car usage. Employees should only use their private cars for deliveries during specific hours or for specific types of deliveries.

Regular Monitoring: Keep a close eye on the situation and monitor whether private cars are causing ongoing issues with parking and safety. Regularly review the need for private car usage.

Security Guard: Considering your specific circumstances, it might be beneficial to have a one-time security guard present during peak hours to ensure order in the parking yard, help with traffic flow, and discourage unnecessary loitering.

Alternative Solutions: Encourage open communication with the employees who prefer to use their private cars. Explore whether there are alternative solutions, such as staggered delivery schedules, that can reduce the demand for parking space during peak hours.

Ultimately, the goal should be to strike a balance that accommodates employee needs while maintaining safety and efficiency within the workplace. Regular communication and a clear policy framework can help achieve this balance.

Remember that the specific steps to address this issue may vary depending on your company's policies and the dynamics of your office. It's important to involve relevant stakeholders in the decision-making process to find the most suitable solution for your unique situation.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

The LTB at the start of the thread is still valid.

No one can use their private vehicles on delivery, not even driving out to meet another postie.

The bond was withdrawn, which means that the permission from the business to use them was also withdrawn.

Most car insurance policies that cover business use, also require official permission from your employer. Without the Bond, there is no permission and you are therefore not covered by your insurance.

That is at least how I understand it.

[KilledOff]

Thank you TrueBlueTerrier

[ted_e_bear]

Thank you TrueBlueTerrier

Yes thank you for confirming, so if anyone is still in any doubt the answer is no you can't use your own car, no ifs,no buts, no my manager says it's ok, no but I've got a doctor's appointment, no my van share partner hates me, no anything the answer is no...end of.

[KilledOff]

We've been informed by our office manager this week that there is no need anymore to have a driving assessment or driver changeover for employees to drive RM vehicles.
Has anybody else heard this?

Also today our manager told a colleague that if they wanted to go back out to do some loops on overtime, but felt uncomfortable using a van, then they could use their own car.
Has anybody else heard this?

Apparently managers are allowed to use their own private cars if they go out and do some loops or parcels because RM have bought courier insurance for them.
Is this true?

Thanks in advance for any replies.