CWU and Royal Mail jointly launched this week, a series of publicity initiatives appealing to both Royal Mail staff and dog owners to be aware of the dangers that dogs can pose, especially as the Summer School holidays approach when annually there is a sharp increase in dog attacks on delivery postal workers.
Dog attacks are a significant hazard, faced by postmen and women on a daily basis. These attacks rise during the school holidays and in the summer months when parents and children are at home and dogs are sometimes allowed unsupervised in the garden, or out onto the street without restraints.
Royal Mail and the CWU be appealing to dog owners to work with them to help keep their animals under control when the postman/woman calls to deliver mail during the school holidays this summer - and of course beyond.
Joint efforts by Royal Mail safety teams and CWU safety reps have driven dog attack numbers down, since the 2007/8 peak of 6,500 attacks, but they remain far too high. The implementation of the new 'Walk Risk Assessment Platform (WRAP) Dog Attack Policy' and concerted local efforts to control risks and suspend deliveries where necessary have been driving factors in reducing the number of attacks.
Dave Joyce, CWU health, safety and environment officer, said:
"While the number of attacks has fallen, it still remains unacceptably high and the nature and seriousness of the injuries being received by postal workers is a growing concern. We are working together with Royal Mail to raise awareness of the reality of dog attacks through this targeted summer campaign and the ongoing CWU-led Bite-Back campaign.
I hope this year's Dog Awareness Week will be a huge success and help to significantly raise the profile and level of awareness around dog attacks and what can be done to prevent them. We're encouraging all CWU members to get involved, read the guidance and tips which will be provided, and speak to their customers and colleagues about this preventable danger."
A range of activities will be taking place during Dog Awareness Week including:
- Lord De Mauley, Parlimentary Under Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will become postman for the day when he goes out on a delivery round with a postman in London who has previously been a victim of a dog attack.
- Royal Mail postmen and women speak about their own experiences of dog attacks
- Dog Awareness posters in partnership with Dogs Trust, will be in place in all Royal Mail enquiry office's giving dog owners tips on how they can help
- Dogs Trust and Wood Green will be holding question and answer sessions on their Facebook pages with their behaviourists.
The campaign is supported by a wide range of organisations and animal charities including Dogs Trust, DEFRA, Blue Cross, Wood Green, and the Association of Dog Wardens.
Shaun Davis, Director of Health, Safety and Wellbeing for Royal Mail Group said:
"For the first time, we are holding a Dog Awareness Week working with the CWU, animal charities and organisations to raise awareness of the problems our postmen and women face daily when they are delivering the mail.
We are delighted to be supported by a wide range of organisations and animal charities including Dogs Trust, DEFRA, Blue Cross, Wood Green, and the Association of Dog Wardens.
We have held a number of previous one day campaigns and the awareness of the issue of dog attacks is growing. Last year the number of dog attacks on our people fell. However there were still over 2,400 incidents and we need to reduce this number further as even one dog attack on our people is one dog attack too many.
Clearly most dogs are not inherently dangerous, however, even the most placid animal can be prone to attack if it feels its territory is being threatened. Our first priority as an employer is to ensure the welfare and safety of our people who provide a valuable service to our customers and we appeal to owners to keep their pets under control, especially if they know their pets have a territorial nature."
Dave continued by giving the background to the campaign:
"CWU has been campaigning on this issue since 2007, and last year we were pleased to join forces with Royal Mail in an awareness exercise. This year is set to be bigger and better - hopefully getting the message out to all dog owners that they need to take steps to ensure their pets do not pose a threat to postal workers. The law is now being changed in England and Wales to encourage more responsible dog ownership, but you can't beat good publicity to help people change their habits.
Royal Mail staff really are at the sharp end of dog attacks, with thousands suffering injuries each year which range from minor scratches to lost fingers, severe scarring and psychological issues. There is a lot that dog owners can do to prevent an attack taking place - simply keeping your dog out of reach of the letterbox or front door is a great way of preventing any unintended injuries.”
The figures regarding dog attacks on Royal Mail staff is astonishing:
Since April 2011, there have been over 5,500 attacks on Royal Mail postmen and women, some leading to a permanent disabling injury. Attacks have resulted in the loss of 4,100 working days due to injuries.
Over 2,400 postmen and women were attacked across the UK by dogs from April 2012 to April 2013. While the number of attacks has fallen by 24 per cent nationally since 2011, it still remains unacceptably high and we are committed to driving this down further. Every dog attack on one of our postmen or women is one dog attack too many.
Source: CWU / Royal Mail
