CWU 'Low Level Letter Box Campaign'

The Union's "Low Level Letter Box" Campaign has been a longstanding, ongoing campaign with a number of major initiatives launched, aimed at getting the Building Regulations changed in the UK.

Highlighting this campaign, Dave Joyce writes in Letter to Branches LTB290/13:

The Union has continued to call for the European Standard for Private Letter Boxes (EN 13724) to be enshrined in Law, namely Building Regulations. The European standard sets down that the centreline of the Letter Box aperture should be at a height between 700 mm (2 ft 3.5 inches) and 1700 mm (5 ft 7 inches).

The Communication Workers Union launched a campaign several years ago calling for Government action on the problem faced by Postal Workers of Low Level Letter Boxes.

We received support and an assurance from the Government of the day that the public and private sector would fully comply with the current EU Standard and would not install new front doors either on new or refurbished dwellings with Low Level Letter Boxes for ergonomic and safety reasons.

There are around 3000 back injuries to Royal Mail Postmen and women each year in Royal Mail and delivering to low level letter boxes at the base of a house or Flat's front door forces Postal Staff to stoop to ground level, whilst carrying a satchel of mail, weighing up to 16Kg (35lbs) and thereby risking serious back strain. A large number of such low level letter boxes on a housing development or estate for example could lead to a ‘repetitive’ strain injury risk.

Building Regulations deal with health and safety matters in the interest of the people who use the building. 

In the UK we follow the specifications set out in European Standard (EN 13724) covering Private Letter Boxes which for ergonomic and safety reasons specifies the height, positioning and design of “letter boxes” in order that the safe delivery of Mail can be made without the risk of injury. The standard sets down that the centreline of the Letter Box aperture should be at a height between 700 mm (2 ft 3.5 inches) and 1700 mm (5 ft 7 inches).

The Irish Government changed their Building Regulations in 2001 outlawing the so called “mousetrap-type” letter boxes at the bottom of doors following back injuries to Postal workers.

UK Postal Workers are more at risk of back injury and ill health if those responsible for building or refurbishing properties fail to comply with the EU Standard for Letter Plate Apertures in Front Doors or Letter Boxes.

UK Postal workers deliver 60 million items a day to 29 million addresses and at Christmas that increased to 120 million items a day. That’s a lot of lifting, carrying and bending.

The LTB goes further into the actions taken so far and gives further background to the problem. You can download LTB290/13 here

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