LTB 288/23 – Royal Mail Group New Starter Driver Training – Interim Safety Standards Variation plus EV and Post RTC Driver Training
No. 288/2023
10 November 2023
Our Ref: V4/23
To: All Branches
Dear Colleagues,
Royal Mail Group New Starter Driver Training – Interim Safety Standards Variation plus EV and Post RTC Driver Training:
This LTB is being issued further to my letter to all ASRs dated 21 October 2023.
Introduction
Following receipt of a number of enquiries in the Health, Safety and Environment Department, this is to update ASRs and Branches on the above.
This matter was first raised and discussed with the Royal Mail Group National Road Safety Manager in August following an indication that the business was considering changes to new starter driver training safety standards.
The Health, Safety and Environment Department made it clear to Royal Mail that CWU/HQ does not support negative changes in ‘New Starter Driver Training Standards’ or driver training as a whole and we have strongly raised concerns against the backdrop of increasing road traffic collision (RTC) numbers.
New Starter Driver Training
The RMG National Road Safety Manager explained that currently Royal Mail is in the process of recruiting a high number of new employees in a short period of time and that the RMG Safety, Health and Environment team face a short term predicament in the face of that exceptional current large scale staff recruitment programme with Royal Mail recruiting circa 10,000 new employees in such a short space of time.
This in turn presents the impossibility of getting all the newly recruited drivers through the Royal Mail new driver training programme without an ‘interim variation’ as ‘Pertemps’, Royal Mail’s accredited driver training provider will not be able to train this number of new recruits in line with Royal Mail Group’s current policy as the number exceed their maximum capacity. Therefore, a relaxation or variation in the RMG new starter driver training requirements is needed, to maintain operations whilst at the same time taking steps to mitigate any safety impact.
In short this means that where training lead-times exceed 2 weeks, new starters will be permitted to drive ‘small vans only’ (e.g., up to Peugeot Expert size), pending training being delivered and for a period of up to 6 months.
The ‘interim driver safety variation’ Royal Mail Group have therefore made is a temporary change to the current driver training standards for new starters and they have introduced an alternative approach that enables them to drive in advance of taking their Royal Mail/Pertemps driver training course.
However, there are two higher risk groups where the requirements will not be relaxed by Royal Mail for driver training if the new entrant:
- Has held a licence for only 12 months or less.
- Is under the age of 25.
For those allowed to drive under the new arrangements, they must:
- Only be allowed to drive small vans.
- Be booked on a Pertemps new starter driver training course.
- Have completed the driver e-learning and been briefed on the driving SSOW.
- Be comfortable to drive under the new arrangements.
Managers must complete the ‘Permit to Drive’ checklist (copy attached) which details each element of the alternative arrangements, including that a Pertemps course has been booked for a future date and file this in the employee’s personal file. This is only a temporary relaxation. The training that is normally given on induction must still be booked through ‘Pertemps’ ahead of the new starter being authorised to drive a Royal Mail vehicle, even if the training itself cannot take place until later.
Whilst fully appreciating the difficulty being faced by the business, the CWU/HQ Health, Safety and Environment Department stated strongly that any variation should be in place for the minimum possible amount of time.
Electric Vehicle (EV) Training
The Health, Safety and Environment Department additionally raised concerns about the issue of the high number of electric vehicle (EVs) RTCs (29% higher RTC frequency than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles diesel/petrol) and we requested compliance with additional training measures to be put in place and audited to tackle it. In response the Royal Mail Group National Road Safety Manager confirmed that the electric vehicle (EV) training will remain unchanged with additional EV ‘Change-Over’ training being kept in place.
The EV upgrade training course duration is 2 hours including a classroom/vehicle check element which lasts 30 minutes, with a 1 hour 30 minutes on-road training element. This is delivered where Royal Mail deploys new electric vehicles in place of existing internal combustion engine (ICE) diesel and petrol engine vehicles. The EV training requirement has not been varied or relaxed.
New starters at existing EV sites receive a full 4-hour ‘Safe Driver EV Induction’ course. This is the equivalent of the standard driver training induction course which is delivered with ICE vehicles. However, this requirement is not excluded from the relaxation arrangements as the
business is now operating over 5,000 EV’s on the RMG fleet and the business state that it’s not reasonably practicable to do so. It remains the case that drivers must confirm they are comfortable driving, whilst awaiting/pending the Royal Mail/Pertemps on-road training and these drivers have the opportunity to say no and opt out whilst awaiting new starter/EV training.
Post Collision/RTC Training
We also raised the issue of Post Collision/RTC Training and it was confirmed that this training (half day/4 hours) will also remain in place unchanged as per the Vehicle Use Training Matrix (copy attached).
ASR Action – Message From the Royal Mail Group National Road Safety Manager Mark Bromhall
The Royal Mail Group National Road Safety Manager Mark Bromhall has communicated a message today confirming that the intention is to keep the ‘variation/relaxation’ arrangement in place for the minimum time possible. The ‘variation/relaxation’ is being kept under review and can be varied or removed as operational demand and training supply changes and he will continue to consult the CWU/HQ Health, Safety and Environment Department on any changes. Presently, the focus is on compliance with the RMG SHE Driver Safety Training Standard and the assistance of all CWU Area Safety Reps in this messaging and monitoring through their safety inspections is greatly appreciated by him and the business.
See attached copies of:
- The Driver Training ‘Matrix’.
- The New Starter Driver Training – Interim Variation SAC1 Risk Assessment.
- Driver Training Relaxation – Permit to Drive Checklist.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Att: Vehicle Use Training and Assessments – Excel File
Att: SAC1 Relaxation in Driver Training 2023 8th Aug 23 – Excel File