Now the cooler winter months are upon us, I was wondering what the H&S rules are regarding night heaters . Specifically regarding my regular agency job. That is delivering to HM prisons.
The issue I have is that several of the jobs involve driving into various prisons in a day cab DAF, surrendering the keys, unloading, hanging around for a few hours, before reloading. The truck is in the middle of the prison, either parked out in the open, or next to a building, and the truck must stay parked where it is, with both myself and the prison ■■■■■■ in attendance is generally kept there until the delivery job is complete.
Which today will mean me entering 1 prison early this afternoon to collect a load, and delivering it to another at 5pm, and waiting till 7-8pm until the job is finished before returning to the depot. Other similar jobs are all day (10-13hr shifts) that involve an AM delivery, and PM collection, and kicking my heals in between.
As I HAVE to lock the cab & surrender the keys to the prison staff for security reasons, I am unable to run the engine to keep warm, even if Im occasionally allowed to sit in the cab during this time, the prison staff will still hold the keys. The trucks are [u]not[/u] fitted with night heaters, however myself and several of the regular drivers feel that they should, as there is no other area or waiting room for us to use, and were getting cold
if you lot think your hard done by sitting at RDCs, besides the above, we also have surrender: any electrical items (mobile phones, satnavs, portable radios, MP3 players, torches etc) any maps, cuttlery, glass bottles tools etc. They dont even like us having frozen cool blocks in in our cool boxes to keep our lunch fresh, in case were smuggling anything in. as the x-ray machine cant see though it, & don`t forget the obligatory search of of the cab (inc personnel posessions), the truck & load (inside & out) and finally the 1 in 10 personnel search where you stand with your arms out for a pat down, your pockets are emptied, and your photo ID checked before using the airport style metal detector
There are several issues here and night heaters are a minor one!
You have serious human rights questions that should be asked regarding your treatment. it looks like your being treated worse than the prisoners and that is totally unacceptable. I have only delivered to a prison once and the area for unloading was isolated from the rest of the prison so only the items being delivered needed to be examined and not the drivers personal posessions.
Sorry, but I would not do this job under those conditions!!
The cab of a lorry is a workplace for other rules like smoking but AFAIK not for temperature. (During working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable) However your employer has a geneal duty of care and should provide you with some means of keeping warm.
I too have delivered to prisons - been searched, scanned etc. and had to wait while they deployed the armed guard with the dogs so that they could open the gate (that was at Durham). It is a disconcerting experience.
All I can suggest is that you ask for warm gear like they give workers in a cold store, and pack a couple of hot water bottles.
I don’t believe there are any regulations stating you must have a night heater, even for nights out never mind hanging around on a cold day!
As for getting searched going into Prison, I’m sure you’d soon be on here complaining how lax ‘the system’ is if you didn’t!
As an agency driver, you don’t have to accept every job the agency offer so therefore, if you don’t want to do the Prison work, then blody well don’t instead of whinging on an internet forum!
It’s little wonder the rest of the World is pulling out of this so-called recession and the UK isn’t. To many people don’t want to do any sort of job that they don’t think suits their position in life!
If your cold, wear a vest AND a jumper over your T shirt under your coat. Hat & gloves work wonders to!
zebadee:
‘… It’s little wonder the rest of the World is pulling out of this so-called recession and the UK isn’t. Too many people don’t want to do any sort of job that they don’t think suits their position in life!..’
Hmmm, & how about:
Our manufacturing industries gave up years ago for various reasons.
What manufacturing that we do is profit for overseas owners.
We have been lead by short-vision Governments of both colours since WW2
We tried to follow the USA in many arena where we are unable to compete (ie, transport, social aspiration, food habit, language & culture)
We have capitulated any/most advantage that we may have once held to the EU (fishing rights, EU rebate, ‘selling’ Gold reserves, etc) except banking - which is now an exposed joke.
We have been socially divided & conquered to become bankrupt of moral worth.
We all have an opinion - but no-one cares.
Too much live now - pay later: We’ll be paying for this recession in twenty plus years - but our media hyped passion for Chinese made tat & ‘X Factor’ will mask all that.
The consumer is King.
…with vanity as his Queen.
DAF95XF:
Why would a day cab truck need a night heater in the first place
I think you’re missing the point Stu…The guy is saying he needs something to heat him up as he’s not allowed to wait in the warmth inside the prison.
As other people have said, I wouldn’t do that job unless I could keep my keys to keep the engine running and eat my lunch or sit in the warmth and eat.
zebadee:
I don’t believe there are any regulations stating you must have a night heater, even for nights out never mind hanging around on a cold day!
As for getting searched going into Prison, I’m sure you’d soon be on here complaining how lax ‘the system’ is if you didn’t!
As an agency driver, you don’t have to accept every job the agency offer so therefore, if you don’t want to do the Prison work, then blody well don’t instead of whinging on an internet forum!
It’s little wonder the rest of the World is pulling out of this so-called recession and the UK isn’t. To many people don’t want to do any sort of job that they don’t think suits their position in life!
If your cold, wear a vest AND a jumper over your T shirt under your coat. Hat & gloves work wonders to!
You’re right mate, no one has to do anything. And if they’re not searched they’d complain. Some people do complain however when they are searched and they find stuff on them. You can’t please everyone eh?
But, yes there are regulations concerning his temperature at work. And i read his post as wanting to keep his job and not ‘don’t want to do anysort of job he doesn’t think suits his position in life’.
I reckon your body warming advice could potentially close Wabasco !!! Lets hope it don’t catch on !!
zebadee:
Who says a Prison is warm on ‘the inside’?
Are you speaking from experience? Lol
AFAIK they tend to keep modern prisons slightly on the warm side 70-80`F judging by the cons lounging around in shorts & T-shirts tonight.
zebadee:
As for getting searched going into Prison, I’m sure you’d soon be on here complaining how lax ‘the system’ is if you didn’t!
That wasnt the point of the OP Getting searched isnt too much of a problem, as I come up regularly for the 1 in 10 search, and as someone who can enter 3-4 prisons per day, the odds are I`m going to get searched at least once per day, if not more.
zebadee:
As an agency driver, you don’t have to accept every job the agency offer so therefore, if you don’t want to do the Prison work, then blody well don’t instead of whinging on an internet forum
I asume your not an agency driver Y/N?
This prison job IS something Im willing to do atm, because others wont put up with crap the prison regeime throws up. which has made it a nice nich job for me for the past 8 months, & hopefully its something that will see me though the lean months after xmas
Im well aware that office & other workers are governed by regulations governing temperature of the work place, however as we are "mobile" workers, Im not sure id the same rules apply, which was the reason for my OP and therefore not a whinge
Yes I was speaking from experience of being on the inside of a Prison - more than 1 actually! To effin hot in the summer, freezing (and I mean FREEZING) cold in the winter, even if the prison was in the South of France!
I’ve also been to Durham & Franklin prisons here in the UK. Both as a visitor & delivering within the walls, through the double gates and all that security and never had much of a problem!
So you find the job handy because others tend not to want it. Well don’t complain on here. Take it up with your employer or don’t do it either!
zebadee:
I don’t believe there are any regulations stating you must have a night heater, even for nights out never mind hanging around on a cold day!
As for getting searched going into Prison, I’m sure you’d soon be on here complaining how lax ‘the system’ is if you didn’t!
As an agency driver, you don’t have to accept every job the agency offer so therefore, if you don’t want to do the Prison work, then blody well don’t instead of whinging on an internet forum!
It’s little wonder the rest of the World is pulling out of this so-called recession and the UK isn’t. To many people don’t want to do any sort of job that they don’t think suits their position in life!
If your cold, wear a vest AND a jumper over your T shirt under your coat. Hat & gloves work wonders to!
why is it that when someone makes a relevant point about they,re experience at work you get people saying they,re whingeing admittedly some on here do whinge and whine for the sake of it(see daf 95xf posts for example) but this fella has a point.I,ve delivered to prisons and they can be a pain thats not the op,s point though why should he have to freeze his nads off■■?
It’s a trucker’s forum why can’t any trucker come and complain on here? Not that he was complaining I thought he just asked for a little advice on what the H&S rules are regarding night heaters.
If you can’t come up with a solution to the question then read it and move on.
I did this sort of thing in the late 80’s except we collected the confidential waste paper. It was the same then and we just had to stand and watch for an hour. To be honest I think the fitting of a night heater will not be entertained, but if you don’t ask you won’t get.
It is the duty of every employer. . .
‘. . .to provide systems of work that are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and
without risks to health’
Health and Safety at Work Order (NI) 1978, Article 4
Where workers are exposed to temperatures which do not give reasonable comfort, suitable protective clothing and rest facilities should be provided. Where practical there should be systems of work (for example, task rotation) to ensure that the length of time for which individual workers are exposed to uncomfortable temperatures is limited.
The last paragraph was lifted from the HSE site but refers to maximum/minimum temperature in indoor workplaces. Below is all I could find at the moment on cold environments form the HSE,
Ensure the personal protective equipment issued is appropriate
Provision of mobile facilities for warming up, and encourage the drinking of warm fluids such as soup or hot chocolate
Introduce more frequent rest breaks
Can work be delayed and undertaken at warmer times of the year without compromising on safety
Educate workers about recognising the early symptoms of cold stress.
I had to deliver to Long Lartin prison once and they gave me all this nonsense so I said “No, I ain’t doing it, I’ll take the stuff away then” and in the end they got two prisoners out to unload me outside!
Harry Monk:
I had to deliver to Long Lartin prison once and they gave me all this nonsense so I said “No, I ain’t doing it, I’ll take the stuff away then” and in the end they got two prisoners out to unload me outside!
Thats the back of beyond that place, Ive delivered to the place literally right behind it
a night heater isn’t going to help when you’re stuck outside the cab! AFAIK your employer is only required to provide you with PPE. this may or may not include a warm/waterproof coat depending on how tight they are! as others have said, you may want to consider wrapping up a bit; i used to wear thermal leggings and shirts under my uniform as well as a hat and scarf. i often left for work on a cold morning looking like a mummy, i was so wrapped up!
also, be careful what you lift when you’re cold… your muscles can pull easily when they’re cold because they tense up. i speak from painful experience
