Ltb 119/13 Fire Safety Issues in Franchised Sub-Post Offices

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Letter to Branches




No. 119/13
Ref EX4
Date: 25 February 2013

To: All Postal Branches

Dear Colleague

Fire Safety Issues in Franchised Sub-Post Offices - Breach of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 Requirements:

This LTB is being issued for the information and assistance of Branches and Safety Representatives who may have members employed in franchised Sub Post Offices or in other premises where the Union does not have TU recognition and where Health and Safety and in particular Fire Safety Standards and Legal Compliance is being ignored.

Sarn is a village in Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales where a number of CWU members complained about working conditions and serious concerns with Fire Safety.  Major concerns of the employees was that the Fire Escape routes were permanently blocked and escape doors blocked, there was no fire escape plan for the staff, no alarm system, no risk assessment or health and safety information, instruction, training or supervision.

It's the legal and moral obligation of every employer to ensure that potentially hazardous situations are eliminated, or managed to reduce and control risks as we both know. Although strictly speaking the Post Office has little or no legal obligation to concern itself with Franchised Post Office employees, the Health, Safety & Environment Department made the point that moral obligation remains a concern if Franchised Post Office operators are delivering Post Office services through outlets with health and safety deficiencies for staff and public. POL were requested to raise awareness of health and safety issues among Franchise operators and consider taking appropriate action where there are Health and Safety failures, accidents and breaches of legislation in these Offices.

Contact was made with both the Local Authority EHO and the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service about the establishment's failure to implement effective health and safety standards and Fire Safety Order Regulatory requirements and procedures. The
Franchise PO Manager was not promoting a safe working environment and health and safety measures in the Offices were not appropriate.

Discussions and correspondence took place with the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, See attached for your information a copy the letter and notice of improvement requirements served on Sarn Post Office proprietor Mr. Saleen Ullah dated 22 February 2013 by Mr. Nigel Davies of South Wales Fire & Rescue Service.

Following an Inspection of the premises and audit of the fire safety arrangements at the Sarn Post Office on 18 February 2013, the Fire and Rescue Authority warned Proprietor Mr Saleen Ullah in no uncertain terms that he has failed to comply with requirements of the Fire Safety Order which is an offence and as the person responsible is liable to prosecution. He has been told to carry out remedial action prior to a re-visit to ensure that the requirements of the schedule have been implemented in order to avoid prosecution.
The Schedule of Works Requiring attention are:-
1.The premises are not provided with adequate signage.
2 A fire risk assessment has not been carried out.
3 The existing provision of manual fire fighting equipment is inadequate.
4 Emergency exit routes could not be used as quickly and as safely as possible.
5 Emergency exit routes are obstructed.
6 Emergency routes and exits are not provided with emergency lighting.
7 The structural fire precautions are not adequately maintained.
8 The manual fire fighting equipment is inadequately maintained.
9 Inadequate fire safety training is provided to enable employees to safeguard themselves and other persons on the premises.
10 It is strongly recommended; an electrical interlinked fire warning system be provided.

As a result of this intervention there will be significant improvements in the Safety of the workforce at the said Post Office premises. This information will hopefully be of interest and of use to Branches and Safety Reps with similar situations in relation to a course of action open to take should it be warranted and necessary.

I would like to thank Mike Hill ASR, Gwent Amal for his assistance in this matter.

Yours sincerely


Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

[capitalbiker]

Interesting, in visiting many post offices i am aware that there is the possibility of health and safety issues arising from safe exit from the secure area, in many of these instances the issue is due to volume of mail and shortage of storage space, reluctance on the part of RM to consider additional uplifts, indifference from POL in insisting on mail segregation and leaving the office management in impossible situations, turn away mail and thereby reduce income or wing it in the hope that nothing goes pearshaped! I hope that the CWU Subpostmasters branch will take this issue on board as sadly it seems the Fed has other priorities these days.