MRM.COM : Covid Test Kits for all employees

[Gallypaddy]

https://www.myroyalmail.com/news/2021/05/home-tests-all

Covid test kits to become available for all employees from May 10th

All colleagues will have access to Covid-19 lateral flow devices to perform self-tests at home from next Monday.

It follows a successful pilot of selected units in Essex, Anglia, St Albans and South Midlands.

From 10 May until 30 June – based on current Government guidelines – everyone will have the opportunity, if they are not having twice weekly tests already, to collect test kits from the workplace. The swab test is performed at home, twice a week, with a three-day interval between tests. The result is available after 30 minutes.

Speak to your line manager to access the kits.

Dr Shaun Davis, global compliance and sustainability director, said: ‘Protecting our colleagues has been, and remains, the number one priority for Royal Mail Group, the CWU and Unite, throughout this pandemic.

‘The Government estimates one in three people who are infected with Covid-19 do not have symptoms and could be spreading the virus without knowing. Although not as accurate as the tests sent to the laboratories, performing regular lateral flow device testing may help to protect colleagues, families and communities and play a role in helping break the virus transmission chain, reducing the number of people infected.’

This is in addition to the Covid-19 controls of following the basic ‘Hands – Face – Space’ rules – washing and sanitising hands regularly, wearing a face mask, maintaining social distancing and ensuring high levels of cleaning in the workplace, vehicles and equipment.

Royal Mail are proud to be working with the Government to deliver a workforce home testing programme. Participation in this is voluntary and is fully supported by the National CWU/HQ and Unite.

[Woody Guthrie]

I am hearing rumours although it is only rumours that this is to facilitate the reintroduction of (voluntary) shared vans.
To be honest if it's not it's a bit pointless.

[biggiehud]

If you know what’s good for you use your god given brains and do not play a part in the great experiment

[Gallypaddy]

Latest update for managers here which states company looking to re-introduce shared vans from 21st June —-





Roadmap out of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions

Firstly, thank you to everyone for what you have done in observing and working through the difficult lockdown period, providing an essential service to the nation.

In February, the Prime Minister announced the Government’s four-step roadmap to cautiously ease lockdown restrictions and provide a route back to a more normal way of life. Each step is to be assessed before restrictions ease, with the PM clear that the decision on each stage is based on data not dates, and that the Government will move cautiously to keep infection rates under control. Infection rates are reducing and the numbers vaccinated are increasing rapidly with 70% of the population now vaccinated.

The Government’s current guidance on ‘staying safe’ is for workers to keep washing hands, keep wearing a face covering, keep your distance, increase ventilation and fresh air and ‘get tested’. Royal Mail, in partnership with the CWU and Unite/CMA, are proud to be working with the Government in rolling out ‘Workforce Testing’ across the UK from 10 May - further support for the workforce in quickly identifying those infected - to protect them, their families and work colleagues and making our collective contribution to cutting infections.

Against this backdrop, Royal Mail Group has been working together with the CWU and Unite/CMA to review the protective measures that we have in place and to understand what risk controls can now be changed safely, as the country moves towards the end of ‘lockdown’.

Driver Training
Since lockdown first commenced last year, Royal Mail Group suspended a range of tasks including vehicle in-cab training. As the country moves through the stages of the UK Government and devolved administrations’ roadmaps, a range of restrictions are being lifted. One of these restrictions is driving lessons and examinations which are now permitted across all nations. Collectively, with the CWU and Unite/CMA, Royal Mail believe that it is now safe to reintroduce in-cab driver training.

From 1 May, in-cab driver training will recommence in all vehicle types. To ensure the safety of both our drivers and instructors, it has been agreed with the CWU to follow instructions set out in a reviewed Risk Assessment and Safe Working Instructions. These include:
• Drivers and instructors to take a Lateral Flow Device test within the two days prior to training
• Both driver and instructor to wear a ‘new on the day’ Royal Mail branded, 3-ply face covering
• The vehicle must always be ventilated
• Touchpoints must be cleaned both before and after the session
The dedicated Risk Assessment and Safe Working Instructions have been updated to reflect the change in the control measures.

The ‘Temporary Driving Controls’ document is withdrawn with immediate effect, and business as usual mandatory training requirements are reinstated.

Lateral Flow Testing
Testing is now being made available for people without symptoms and tests can be accessed in a number of ways:
• The Royal Mail Group National Workforce Testing Programme commencing on 10 May. All employees will be encouraged to participate in Lateral Flow Testing, twice weekly and those opting to take part will be provided with the test kits at their workplace for their convenience and support, enabling them to test in the privacy and comfort of their own homes.
• Alternatively, kits can be obtained through an on-line home ordering and delivery service, by ‘Pharmacy-Collect’, collection from test centre sites, by community testing offered by all local authorities and through testing at on-site at schools and colleges.
Click here for more information or visit the GOV.UK website.

Other tasks and Covid-secure restrictions
Royal Mail Group, in full consultation with the CWU and Unite/CMA, is considering how and when the lifting of some restrictions introduced in Royal Mail Group due to the social distancing requirements, can be changed. This will be considered in line with the Government Roadmap stages. The range of tasks which have impacted on operations include: shared vans, sorting at IPS frames, bullring sorting operations, working at incline conveyors, loading aircraft and ULDs (Pods), working at drop bag fittings and loose loading of trailers.

In line with the UK Government’s roadmap for the reduction of restrictions, Royal Mail Group will continue to work with the unions, and in full consultation with them, towards the re-introduction of shared vans from 21 June. This date is of course subject to any changes in the UK Government roadmap, any restrictions in devolved administrations and in infection rates.

We are also working with our PFSL cleaning colleagues to ensure when our facilities re open cleanliness standards are improved and maintained. This will include the reopening of those facilities that were temporarily closed to achieve social distancing.

Further communications will be issued closer to the time.

[Cucumber]

It's absolutely pointless making shared vans voluntary. Far too many want to return as it's 'easier', or not want it to return as they prefer working on their own or not having to return to DO and just zip away home in their car.
It's either safe or it isn't.

[iHateD2Ds]

It's absolutely pointless making shared vans voluntary. Far too many want to return as it's 'easier', or not want it to return as they prefer working on their own or not having to return to DO and just zip away home in their car.
It's either safe or it isn't.

The reason RM want van sharing to return is because of the financial cost.

Scenario: A long serving middle aged employee who has diabetes is paired up with a young 25 year old who is back training at the gym, likes a drink with is mates and can’t wait for nightclubs to open.

RM needs to wake up and adjust their working practice because clearly they are not practicing what they preach.

[iHateD2Ds]

It's absolutely pointless making shared vans voluntary. Far too many want to return as it's 'easier', or not want it to return as they prefer working on their own or not having to return to DO and just zip away home in their car.
It's either safe or it isn't.

The reason RM want van sharing to return is because of the financial cost.

Scenario: A long serving middle aged employee who has diabetes is paired up with a young 25 year old who is back training at the gym, likes a drink with is mates and can’t wait for nightclubs to open.

Dr Shaun Davis, global compliance and sustainability director, said: ‘Protecting our colleagues has been, and remains, the number one priority for Royal Mail Group, the CWU and Unite, throughout this pandemic.

Taking the quote into consideration and going back to van sharing is a bit of a contradiction.

[Woody Guthrie]

You cannot protect staff from every conceivable risk.
The prevalence of the virus is much lower than it was therefore the risk is reduced, the risk will never be zero so like everything else it's a case of judging when it's low enough to be acceptable.

[hans solo]

the only reason they are offering everyone a lft is because there is surplus test kits going round
got to keep making ££££ for all those private suppliers
and rm think they can wing it with some off sick and not on mass
should have been introduced when it mattered during difficult periods

[Phantom]

If it does return then we will be leaving even more mail in, cannot cope now so two in a van will be a disaster.

[mozilla]

Has anyone bee able to get these tests? There are none at our office as they haven't turned up yet.

[ripio]

Van sharing from 21st june seems a bit optimistic to me, especially with the current increasing cases and the Indian variant of concern.
Cases were lower last summer and van sharing wasn't reintroduced, apart from the daft voluntary thing later in the summer.

Personally, at an absolute minimum, I will not be sharing a van until at least two weeks after my second vaccination dose, I've had one dose a few weeks ago.

As for the regular lateral flow tests, if they are required to share a van at work, I will be either doing the test at work or will expect to be paid overtime for the time it takes to perform the test at home.
I don't believe they serve any purpose for any out of work situations that I will be involved in.

[ted_e_bear]

So as from tomorrow it's 2 weeks since these were supposed to have been available in my DO

Has anybody been offered them ? it's like a parallel universe version of RM compared to what they say on MRM.com

[P13]

So as from tomorrow it's 2 weeks since these were supposed to have been available in my DO

Has anybody been offered them ? it's like a parallel universe version of RM compared to what they say on MRM.com

You need to ask your manager to order them

[iHateD2Ds]

So as from tomorrow it's 2 weeks since these were supposed to have been available in my DO

Has anybody been offered them ? it's like a parallel universe version of RM compared to what they say on MRM.com

You need to ask your manager to order them

Much easier to order online from government website for next day delivery. https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-r ... flow-tests