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Following the political pressure being exerted for many years by the CWU and the resultant private member's Bill now before Parliament awaiting it's second reading on 8th March, CWU's National Health and Safety Officer Dave Joyce; has now ensured TV and Radio publicity to bring the message to the public that low level letterboxes are a major hazard to post men and women.
However, the UK is alone in the EU with regards to the lack of introducing the EU Directive (details of this can be found in our E-Library) on the positioning of letter boxes for some 20 years! Unlike most EU countries, the UK has not brought the EU Directive into UK law, dispelling the myth that the EU dictates our laws! In the end , it is up to member state governments to decide upon how EU Directives are implemented or not and whether or not this includes placing them within UK laws. Dave Joyce explains the purpose of the campaign: "The key objective is to get the law changed in order to outlaw low level letter boxes on new builds, building refurbishments and replacement doors by achieving a law change to the Building Regulations which require the fitting of mid-height letter boxes to all new homes, refurbishments and new doors. Early this morning, a ‘Feature Item’ on the BBC Breakfast Programme was aired following a visit by the BBC to Chelmsford Delivery Office in Essex where a number of interviews took place along with filming of the operation as well as out on delivery with a CWU member and delivery postman. You can watch the feature, which includes a brief interview with Dave Joyce here:
On 16th January, this website reported on Chelmsford MP Vicky Ford and her Private Members Bill aimed at outlawing all future front door designs that include low level letter boxes, most of which are a mere 15 centimetres from ground level and requiring anyone delivery post to stoop to ground level to access the letterbox. This can cause severe repetitive strain injuries to those whose delivery round includes numbers of low level letter boxes which are unfortunately very common with new builds. It also places the post person's fingers at the right level to be bitten by a family dog that may not take too kindly to something foreign protruding into their space through the front door. Here you can watch the video of the Private Member's Bill introduction into Parliament Bill To Prohibit Low Level Letterboxes In Parliament Today Dave responded: "I am pleased that at long last we have managed to get the subject matter on to the floor of the House of Commons and from here the objective will be to widen the Campaign within the Houses of Parliament and schedule meetings with ministers to take the Campaign forward." Speaking to Radio Lancashire this morning, Dave made it clear that this is a major issue for postal workers, and coupled with the threat of dog bites; long-term ill health from musculoskeletal injuries, loss of fingers and constant wear and tear on knees and backs, are all a risk to those delivering our mail everyday.
Dave has recently received a huge level of correspondence and support from Labour MPs and MPs from all Political Parties as well as local Council Politicians where we are also campaigning locally. Source: CWU / BBC
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Ever since taking up his role as National Health and Safety Officer, Dave Joyce has campaigned on behalf of the CWU to have low level letterboxes banned from building design and especially in the case of front doors to homes. Few people have mail boxes and the letterbox built into front doors is the most common method of mail delivery.