Workplace Report September 2007

Health & safety news

CWU aims to make postal deliveries safer

The CWU communication workers’ union has launched a Safe working on delivery guide after learning that Royal Mail staff account for nearly 10% of the UK’s musculoskeletal injuries each year – although they make up just 0.7% of the UK population.

Manual handling, slips and trips, dog attacks, road traffic and cycling accidents are the most common causes of the injuries.

CWU health and safety officer Dave Joyce pointed out that Royal Mail’s safety record is four times worse than that of the transport industry, adding that the Health and Safety Executive has been inspecting delivery offices across the country “and they generally aren’t too impressed either–.