Did You Know? - RM Accidents

[brothermagrew]

In 2006/7, there were 123 accidents per 1,000 Royal Mail staff, compared to a national average of 5.4 per 1,000. This resulted in the loss of nearly 150,000 working days, and whilst the number of accidents being reported is decreasing, the figure remains too high.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/fit3street/rm2008.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[DGP1]

An organisation that encourages short cuts and increasing speed are always going to have more accidents than normal companies, anyway, as we all know RM only pay lip service to H&S and instead everything is focused on getting the mail out (and delivered) by any means necessary.

[silverback]

An organisation that encourages short cuts and increasing speed are always going to have more accidents than normal companies, anyway, as we all know RM only pay lip service to H&S and instead everything is focused on getting the mail out (and delivered) by any means necessary.

Thats it in a nutshell...well put

[wranglered]

In 2006/7, there were 123 accidents per 1,000 Royal Mail staff, compared to a national average of 5.4 per 1,000. This resulted in the loss of nearly 150,000 working days, and whilst the number of accidents being reported is decreasing, the figure remains too high.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/fit3street/rm2008.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TWENTY THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT WORKING FOR ROYAL MAIL THAN ANYWHERE ELSE

...and some of our health and safety reps in my branch just meekly accept what goes off and do nothing to change things....makes me puke.

[thehappyones]

I wish everybody would stop moaning about health and safety and start acting onit ,every individual has the authority to do this with out any comebacks ...if you feel unsafe about any act your asked to do or that of another member then stop and tell your wam ,bam ,dim ,dom ,dum, or any other manager, that you are not happy about what is happening if your not happy with the answer go higher up the chain until you are satasfied (managerial as well as union chain of command!!!) remember YOU ALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ACT UPON ANY UNSAFE ACT NO MATTER WHO IS COMMITTING IT,SO PLEASE STOP MOANING AND SOMETHING ABOUT IT ALSO DONT FORGET TO DO YOUR JOB PROPERLEY

[DGP1]

Any chance of changing the yellow to some other colour because it's hurting my eyes trying to read it (maybe I should report it to the H&S rep. ).

[Stormproof]

the number of accidents being reported is decreasing

Thats because no one wants to sit in the office with a lineo for an hour being grilled, whilst he's trying to fill a report in on the computer. They get the hump with you as they are missing out on coffee and can't use the PC for ebay or whatever is flavour of the day!

[wranglered]

the number of accidents being reported is decreasing

Thats because no one wants to sit in the office with a lineo for an hour being grilled, whilst he's trying to fill a report in on the computer. They get the hump with you as they are missing out on coffee and can't use the PC for ebay or whatever is flavour of the day!

Having sat in on a few of these ERICA reports it is quite obviously a device to chuck as many "accidents" out as possible to try and massage the facts.....

YOU ARE TWENTY THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT IN ROYAL MAIL THAN IN THE AVERAGE PLACE OF WORK.....

Also in reply to the poster saying stop being critical. if our Health and Safety Reps were doing their jobs nationwide, we would not have this unbelievably bad situation....

The Health and Safety Rep has a lot of legal clout he can exercise without fear of reprisals....so why should it be left to members to raise issues all the time and find themselves victimised by RM????

[johnsouthwales]

isn't there some government probe into this? tbh, i havent even seen any of this in the press. that wording 'reported' accidents seems open to interpretation, as accidents are discouragd from being taken up eithe from fear of losing work or inconveniencing like it was said that it would take an hour on a computer. hmm. those figures 2007 suggests an employee has taken off on average 12 sick days per accident and cost £121 per employee in statutory sick payment? is there any information available in which areas and circumstances how these accidents occur? overall, how much in real terms did it cost royal mail in that year? if rm are promoting unsafe practices, then it has got to be sorted it out, even though hse are only interested when an accident causes a fatality or serious negligence resulting in life threatning situations. when are 2007-08 figures available?

[andy2007]

the number of accidents being reported is decreasing

Thats because no one wants to sit in the office with a lineo for an hour being grilled, whilst he's trying to fill a report in on the computer. They get the hump with you as they are missing out on coffee and can't use the PC for ebay or whatever is flavour of the day!

That's what the Near Miss Forms are for. If you report ALL the near misses, it'll reduce the number of accidents. I know that they sometimes get p****d off with you, if you fill a lot in. But it's worth the hassle.

You see, in the event of an actual accident. They'll try to put the blame on someone else. Usually the victim. But with a near miss: They cant blame you, because you're the one bringing it to their attention. And trying to prevent an accident.

A good example of this, is the recent demise of the RCCs (Rigid Cardboard Cages). This was mainly due to the H&S Reps, campaigning for years, to prevent their use. Combined with a large number of Near Miss Forms, filled in, not just by us, but by the Reps as well. At one point, we were filling in over 40 a day!

You're probably thinking "we don't have time to fill in dozens of forms", and you're right. Neither do we. It caused chaos! But it was worth it in the end, as they are being recalled. We will be using a much safer alternative next Christmas.

[andy2007]

isn't there some government probe into this? tbh, i havent even seen any of this in the press. that wording 'reported' accidents seems open to interpretation, as accidents are discouragd from being taken up eithe from fear of losing work or inconveniencing like it was said that it would take an hour on a computer. hmm. those figures 2007 suggests an employee has taken off on average 12 sick days per accident and cost £121 per employee in statutory sick payment? is there any information available in which areas and circumstances how these accidents occur? overall, how much in real terms did it cost royal mail in that year? if rm are promoting unsafe practices, then it has got to be sorted it out, even though hse are only interested when an accident causes a fatality or serious negligence resulting in life threatning situations. when are 2007-08 figures available?

This is mainly because of Management attempts to hide the full extent of the problem. You see, we've had problems in the past, with them claiming that we couldn't report something as an accident, unless there was an injury. I found out a couple of days ago, that THIS IS A LIE!!!!!

If there is an injury, it goes through the RIDDOR system; if there aren't any injuries, it goes in the Accident Book; and if an accident was avoided, but there was potential for an accident, it's reported as a near miss.

Aparently, the ERICA system, only accepts RIDDOR reports. Which is how they've been fooling the Line Managers (or DOMs). Who I think have been acting in good faith. But a good example, is an accident which happened a while ago: Where the top cage (RSC) from a double stack, was knocked off, when a Trailer Door dropped suddenly. It fell backwards, and ended up skewered on the Cage Guard on the Scud. Pinning the Operator down.

The Operator wasn't injured, and when the Manager tried to report it as an accident. The ERICA System, refused to accept it, as there weren't any injuries. So it was reported as a "near miss". A couple of us kicked off about it, but we were forced to back down, when even our Local H&S Rep, couldn't get them to accept that it was an actual accident. I now know, that he was tricked by Management, and that IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPORTED AS AN ACCIDENT!

How many more accidents like this, are being reported as near misses?!?!?

[brothermagrew]

With regards to ERICA and Accident Statistics the CWU stressed for the Accident and ill health statistics to be regularly provided to CWU HQ nationally and to ASRs locally and where required breakdowns area by area on things like dog attack, cycle accidents and assaults etc, period by period.

We were informed that this issue had been resolved. Information from ERICA is fed into a sequel database. All the data will be stored there. As part of the development of ERICA there is work being carried out to develop six regular reports analysing the data in the database. This information will be readily available to Safety Representatives and CWU HQ.

Can't say in all honesty that I've seen or heard anything further on these six supposed regular reports.

[johnsouthwales]

http://www.amicustheunion.org/default.aspx?page=6581

[brothermagrew]

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/b ... 442952.ece" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.accidentsdirect.com/Work-Acc ... -Mail.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.hootcarinsurance.co.uk/html/ ... change.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.simpsonmillar.co.uk/services ... itors.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[johnsouthwales]

hi brothermagrew.

have HSE come to a conclusion yet from the 2004 article?