Postal group fined £1.6m over safety


Royal Mail received its biggest ever health and safety fine last December, the CWU communications workers’ union has revealed.


Royal Mail pleaded guilty to health and safety offences on 7 December 2017, in relation to an accident which occurred in a mail centre yard in 2014 when a CWU member, employed as a yard marshal was struck by a departing 7.5 tonne vehicle and knocked unconscious. The worker suffered multiple serious injuries including a fractured jaw and several fractured ribs among other injuries.


The court heard that Royal Mail’s safety failures consisted of failures to undertake suitable and sufficient risk assessments and monitoring, failure to provide adequate safety information, training, instruction, supervision and failure to maintain safe workplace transport arrangements including road markings and signage.


The court fined Royal Mail £1.6 million plus costs.


Dave Joyce, national health and safety officer at the CWU, expressed concern over Royal Mail’s yard safety record. 


"The same types of accidents seem to crop up and they are easily avoidable if you learn from past mistakes," he said. "Safety procedures are not being enforced. 


"Royal Mail needs to take action and work with CWU safety reps to improve safety standards and ensure similar incidents are avoided.”


www.cwu.org/news/royal-mail-group-fined-1-6-million-for-health-and-safety-offences-employer-pays-their-largest-ever-safety-fine