LTB 305/16 - SPDO Health and Safety Inspection and Workplace Risk Assessment Programme by Royal Mail Property Division:

[TrueBlueTerrier]

LTB 305/16 - SPDO Health and Safety Inspection and Workplace Risk Assessment Programme by Royal Mail Property Division:

No. 305/2016

17th May 2016



Dear Colleagues,

SPDO Health and Safety Inspection and Workplace Risk Assessment Programme by Royal Mail Property Division:

In response to concerns expressed by the CWU Health Safety and Environment Department and many Area Health and Safety Reps across the Country, regarding the poor, sub-standard working conditions and working Environment in many of the circa 650 SPDOs, potentially, in some cases, in breach of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, (the United Kingdom Statutory Instrument that stipulates general requirements on accommodation standards for nearly all workplaces), meetings took place with Royal Mail Group Property who fully shared the Union's concerns regarding the conditions of some of the SPDO. (Scale Payment Delivery Office) estate.

Subsequently, discussions took place with and between RMG Property and Post Office Ltd (POL), from which it was agreed between the two businesses, that RMG Property would organise a nationwide programme of Health and Safety compliance Inspections and Workplace Risk Assessments. Subsequently the schedule was drawn up and was circulated to share with Persons In Control (PICs)/Unit Managers and CWU ASR’s.

The inspections have been designed to focus on the safety arrangements of the operational working facilities for Royal Mail’s employees; including compliance areas such as fire safety, work equipment, access arrangements, Electrical/Gas/Oil installations, Firm Alarms, Emergency Lighting, Water Management and Legionella control, Asbestos Surveys, Lift equipment (such as passenger and goods lifts), General Risk assessment (including Fire Risk Assessment) and welfare facilities etc.

The inspections will be carried out by two Buildings Safety consultants companies:-
*Ark Workplace Risk -
East & West Regions
*AECOM -
North Region (including Northern Ireland)

The SPDO Managers and Regional SHE Teams will have been told the dates of the Health and Safety Inspections in order to be afforded the opportunity to input and be involved during these inspections. CWU ASRs can also attend and be present if they wish.

Once the inspections are completed, Royal Mail Property will provide a report to Post Office Ltd for them to consider and subsequently discuss a remedial action plan with the Sub-Postmasters and Property Owners or Leaseholders.

A SHE Team Lead from each of the three RM Regions have been appointed to work with RM Group Property and their role will be to obtain updates on the progress of the programme and also to deal with some of the issues across the estate as well as to act as the contact point for CWU ASRs to ensure involvement and Consultation takes place.

All CWU RM ASRs received a direct e-mail on 4 April as agreed between Royal Mail Property and the CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department prior to the commencement of the SPDO Inspections programme which commenced in late March/early April.

A communication and 'Briefing Pack' was sent out to all SPDO’s Managers, Ops Managers and SHE Team with a Brief for Information to cascade to the SPDO staff, to share in advance, requesting that they ensure that Managers brief their teams affected by the roll out of the SPDO Inspection Programme along with letters which can be handed to employees/postmasters to inform them of the Inspection Programme. Managers were requested to ensure all employees who work in the SPDO’s and CWU ASR’s are fully briefed and aware of the programme. The schedule of inspections for the sites was communicated nationally and has subsequently been updated. RM Property liaised with POL to ensure that Postmasters were fully briefed on the inspection programme by POL also.

The RMG Safety Health and Environment (SHE) Team have appointed 'one-stop' Regional Contact and Liaison Points, should ASRs have any questions, enquiries or issues they wish to ensure are addressed during the programme, as follows: -

*Jayne Callaghan-Jarvis (East) -
Email: jayne.f.callaghan-jarvis@royalmail.com
Tel: 07553377561
*Matthew Chappell (West)
Email: matthew.chappell@royalmail.com
Tel: 07553383433
*Freddie Warnock (North)
Email: freddie.warnock@royalmail.com
Tel: 07841 076 475

The RM Group Property Contact in case of Inspection/Buildings Risk Assessment Programme queries is:-

*Richard Bennion
Email: Richard.bennion@royalmail.com
Tel: 07776 994419

The latest Inspection programme update is attached along with the Inspection Content Brief issued by Royal Mail Group Property.

Pre-start and ongoing discussions and update meetings have been taking place between Royal Mail Property and CWU/HQ Health Safety and Environment Department tomonitor the programme nationally.

The Union and our ASRs will very much welcome and support this programme which can only benefit CWU SPDO based members and support the Health and Safety Inspections and investigations carried out by ASRs and the many complaints raised and pursued in an effort to improve basic health and safety standards and compliance. Further updates will be published in due course.

Yours Sincerely


Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

[yellowbelly]

RM (thinks) - Lovely jubbly, loads of prime real estate that we can fail on SHE grounds, say is too expensive
to upgrade, then flog off or stop paying rent on and then have more centralised working

[cvilidiot]

If your SPDO isn't in the list, can something sinister be read into that?