Postal peg

[deeteeny]

Hello
I am a retired Crown Prosecutor with a continuing interest in dangerous dogs and have written and broadcast about this topic, including an article in Archbold News, the update journal that accompanies the Crown Court procedural guide called Archbold. I have been asked to write a note about a recent case involving a postman whose finger was bitten when he pushed mail through a letter box and a dog in the house bit his hand. He had been issued with a postal peg, and I believe these were introduced for postal workers in 2011, so they aren't new. However this postman wasn't using the peg although the dog had barked before he pushed the mail through the letter box. A conversation with a local postie confirms that use is intermittent. Why would that be? Are they only useful for small envelopes?

[clashcityrocker]

A conversation with a local postie confirms that use is intermittent. Why would that be? Are they only useful for small envelopes?

The idea is you place the mail in the end of the peg, push it through and twist the peg and withdraw it.
This is only possible with small envelopes.
Thicker stuff however can be pushed half in and then pushed through with a peg, a PDA, a biro or whatever to ensure you don't put your fingers through the letter box.
Putting your fingers through a letterbox deliberately is a woefully stupid thing to do especially if you know a dog is there.

Why do posties continue to do that? Why are some of them woefully stupid? I don't know.
Wilful breaches of H&S should be a sackable offence.

[POSTMAN]

For 'some' it's the pressure of the job, and for 'some' it's too much faffing around as per the pics below.

The business will tell you it's hot on H&S but for some run of the mill posties, if they have taken too long because they are using the post peg multiple of times during the day and it causes delays they would get their ears burnt.

It's a weird arse double edged sword thing.

My personal thoughts.

[ssdd]

Genuine question here. Are you 'supposed' to be using the post peg for EVERY letterbox on your delivery?

[fb1969]

In the case of the example of the postie at the letter box, I just fold the letter and push it through - that will get it through draught excluders, which are the biggest issue for things not going through.

I've done over 8 years and have used a posting peg maybe half a dozen times!

[tomtallis]

.

[WalkerX]

I`ve never even SEEN a peg, much less used one.

[sfxdby]

Management like to think that this postal peg is an ingeniously thought out, brilliant way to preserve the postman's fingers.

The truth is it's just a piece of crappy plastic. For the job it does, you could easily substitute in a magazine, which you very probably have in your arms already.

I have never used one. Why would you? The key is DO NOT PUT YOUR FINGERS THROUGH THE BOX. Just shove it in; as long as it's not hanging out the outside of the box, that is job done.

I am sorry this postie has had his fingers bit but as the dog was on the other side of the box, I have no real sympathy.

[clashcityrocker]

The peg is very useful for removing spiders' webs across people's paths.

[POSTMAN]

Genuine question here. Are you 'supposed' to be using the post peg for EVERY letterbox on your delivery?

You 'should' look in your walks, walk log before you tie up, it 'should' be updated as and when there is a known dog on the property, you (and everyone else) 'should' of been aware of this when you 1st started, you 'should' have time to do this every day...there are a lot of 'should's in Royal Mail.

[ssdd]

Genuine question here. Are you 'supposed' to be using the post peg for EVERY letterbox on your delivery?

You 'should' look in your walks, walk log before you tie up, it 'should' be updated as and when there is a known dog on the property, you (and everyone else) 'should' of been aware of this when you 1st started, you 'should' have time to do this every day...there are a lot of 'should's in Royal Mail.

So in other words, it should be used only for the doors where there are known dogs? Because it's not very practical to be using it for EVERY letterbox. Also, the postal peg is no use against some cats who can reach their agile little arms right through some letterboxes...

[clashcityrocker]

Also, the postal peg is no use against some cats who can reach their agile little arms right through some letterboxes...

Dangerous cats should be highlighted in the walk log just as dangerous dogs are.

[ssdd]

Also, the postal peg is no use against some cats who can reach their agile little arms right through some letterboxes...

Dangerous cats should be highlighted in the walk log just as dangerous dogs are.

You wouldn't even get the letter near the door with some of these mini beasts!

[clashcityrocker]

A dog tried to bite me through the cat flap last week.

[ssdd]

A dog tried to bite me through the cat flap last week.

I actually remember a door I delivered to had a dog poke it's head through, but it was quite a big head, and filled the full flap. It actually looked quite peaceful...like it was having a little rest.