LTB 666/17 – Royal Mail Property & Facilities Solutions (RMPFS) – Winter Gritting and Snow Clearing Communication 2017/18
No. 666/2017
11 December 2017
Our Ref: E4/17
Royal Mail Property & Facilities Solutions (RMPFS) – Winter Gritting and Snow Clearing Communication 2017/18
To: All Branches
Dear Colleagues,
Royal Mail Property & Facilities Solutions in conjunction with the Royal Mail Safety Health and Environment Team have refreshed the Winter Gritting and Snow Clearing Communication 2017/18, a copy of which is attached.
This covers both RMG sites that are on the contracted gritting service schedule and additionally ‘self-grit’ plus those sites that are ‘self-grit’ only.
A contract is in place for grit supplies with RMG’s appointed contractor ISS (Litterboss) and this will cover the period from October 2017 to the end of April 2018.
Gritting occurs when the Met Office’s six hourly report indicates that;
- the road temperature will be 0º centigrade between midnight and 6am the next morning,
- and the weather condition is predicted to be damp, wet, ice or snowing
In the event of non-attendance by the gritting contractor or when a snap frost occurs requiring gritting, Office Managers (PICs) should contact the Royal Mail Property & Facilities Solutions (RMP&FS) Helpdesk on 0844 800 9191 and request that the contractor attends the site.
The contracted gritting and snow clearance service includes:
- Gritting and snow clearance services that will be carried out to hard-surfaces, including loading bays, access roads, walkways and all car parks (RMG vehicles and both employee and public parking) that RMG both owns or manages.
- Gritting and snow clearance services must be completed before 07:00 – the service will generally be undertaken between Midnight and 7am.
- Gritting and snow clearance services will not occur under vehicles.
- RMG managers on site may not override or cancel any reactive gritting or snow clearance service which has been triggered by the Met Office weather report.
- Gritting and snow clearance will, under normal circumstances, be performed ONCE per day. (Additional gritting or snow clearance requests can be put through the P&FS Helpdesk with the additional cost needing to be cleared via “Demand Challenge” in the Business Unit concerned.
- In advance and on completion of each gritting service a confirmation email will be sent to the nominated site contact (PIC) email address.
- Where an office is closed and there is not a Royal Mail manager/employee on site, the gritting contractor has been authorised to access the yard and given keys, access codes or swipe cards as appropriate. The yard shall be left secure on completion of the service.
Any concerns or disputes over the service provided, PICs/Managers should contact the P&FS Helpdesk on 0844 800 9191.
Self-Gritting:
All sites order their own grit and snow clearing equipment during the summer months for use during the winter if required. This includes sites that have contracted gritting services as well as those that do not. Surplus grit stocks and snow clearing equipment will be stored safely and securely on site and utilised the following year.
Prior to any self-gritting and snow clearing, a proper health and safety risk assessment must be undertaken and safe systems of work must be followed at all times.
RMGP&FS advise that following best practices helps reduce the risks as follows:
- Monitor the weather forecast to ensure that gritting takes place before the snow and ice arrives for precautionary cover.
- Prioritise the grit and snow clearing on sites, notably callers’ office walkways, steps, slopes, staff entrances, yards, etc.
- Ensure that gritting and snow clearing occurs with minimum risk to those performing the task, i.e. when no vehicles are moving in the yard.
- Where appropriate, PPE must be worn – e.g. hi-vis, waterproofs, gloves etc. as required.
- Bags of grit weigh 20kg. Therefore, the correct manual handling techniques, training and SSoW must be applied when moving these. They should be opened safely and handled in small amounts at a time when placing the grit/salt into the grit/salt spreader.
- To assist in the amount of grit required, RMP&FS have calculated that a 20kg bag will cover:
- Precautionary cover; 10/15 grams per m² – this equates to approx.1,700m² per 20kg bag (your yard size should be within your site log book).
- Ice and snow cover; 20/40 grams per m² – this equates to approx. 800m² per 20kg bag (your yard size should be within your site log book).
Note: PICs or a PIC Nominated, Trained Person will be responsible for the above.
It is difficult to obtain emergency supplies of grit once the snow and ice has arrived so stocks should always be in place ahead of severe weather and it can always be used next year.
For further information PICs/Managers should contact their Regional or Business Union “Demand Challenge Team” via normal communication routes.
Or:-
Ray Young Royal Mail Property & Facilities Solutions Contracts Manager Tel: 078 0179 3170 Email: ray.a.young@royalmail.com
Mick Harrott Royal Mail Property & Facilities Solutions (Gritting Service Lead) Tel: 078 8912 3294 Email: mick.harrott@royalmail.com
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
RMPFS Winter Gritting and Snow Clearing Refresh Comms Oct 2017 V3