Royal Mail Deploys Modified DORCS To Delivery Offices

The CWU H&S Dept are aware that thousands of DORCs previously stored at Swindon and other storage facilities around the UK are now being moved to MCs, RDCs etc and then rolled out to DOs.

Royal Mail have somewhat 'jumped the gun' with their comms and despatch dates, as we were still in discussion with RM Containerisation management finalising details. However we were in agreement with Royal Mail on the introduction of the DORCs as storage units.

The Union’s national H&S officials previously visited Swindon to look at the Units and discussed various aspects of the DORC Units including the design, their use, restrictions, some modifications we recommended which were done and the SSoW was discussed and amended in discussions with the Royal Mail Group Procurement and the National Container Team.

NE and NW Area Safety Reps and Regional H&S Forum Secretaries were involved in the discussions on the DORCs trials which took place in the NW and NE with some useful input from a group of ASRs from both Regions which went to Swindon for discussions with RM Management and a lot of input was taken on board.

Under a review of York Container use, Royal Mail have been looking for some time to replace operational Yorks currently being used for Storage in DO’s, in large numbers with a specific Storage Container (Delivery Office Roll Container - DORC), based on an Industry Standard Roll Container.

The DORCs were successfully trialled over the last two winter/Xmas pressure periods in the North East and North West Regions for storage and Royal Mail now wish to use the concept nationally both during normal and pressure periods to 'free up' thousands of Yorks which are in increasing demand. The National Container Team have purchased 30,000 Delivery Office Roll Containers to go to DOs.

With the said modifications and changes the Units were delivered from the Manufacturers to Royal Mail Stores such as Swindon and are now being deployed across the country so we were informed earlier this month. Royal Mail is obviously eager to deliver them ahead of Autumn/Xmas pressure periods.

A Joint CWU/RM Statement, a DORC User Guide presentation and associated Safe Systems Of Works and LTB799/12 can be downloaded here

Source: CWU

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