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mawsona  
#1 Posted : 12 May 2015 21:01:20(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
mawsona

My company currently allows employees to have personal parcels delivered to work, partly as a gesture of goodwill. I am concerned what happens if parcels are too heavy for reception staff, are suspicious/dangerous or are dropped/damaged by reception staff, what would happen?

We have strict controls in place at operational sites preventing personal mail being delivered to site and people make arrangements for delivery/collection. I have queried why this can't be the same at our Head Office which is even more vulnerable but am told that I'm being an 'old misery'!

Does anyone have experience of this in terms of parcel delivery policies, business deliveries only, increased security, damage incurred to parcels once in reception etc? All comments appreciated.

Thanks
achrn  
#2 Posted : 13 May 2015 08:04:37(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
achrn

If yoiu relaly think it's a problem, it sounds like a HR problem.

Tell them they need a policy that says the company is not responsible for any damage that has occurred before or after delivery, reception staff will just sign anything and are not responsible for checking delivery (including parcel condition) in any way, no dangerous goods to be delivered, nothing over 5kg to be delivered.

If anyone doesn't like the policy, get their stuff delivered elsewhere.

We let staff have deliveries made to work. We don't have any policy. I don't worry about it, except when we had two bicycles and a car exhaust pipe turn up the same day and reception looked like a sorting office - not great for clients arriving. An 'all staff' email saying "don't take the [expletive deleted] or we'll make a policy" seems to have resolved that.
jodieclark1510  
#3 Posted : 13 May 2015 08:18:12(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
jodieclark1510

The last place where I worked allowed staff parcels to be delivered- it was more a rule of thumb that if it was expensive, heavy or urgent reception needed to be told so they could call the individual to collect and sign for it themselves- making the reception a messenger rather than receiver. We had that done with a very expensive bottle of whisky for my old boss when he left that we had engraved and all of my diploma materials got sent to work to ensure I signed for them.
RayRapp  
#4 Posted : 13 May 2015 08:30:26(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
RayRapp

I won't go as far as calling you an 'old misery' but surely there are more important health and safety issues to be concerned about?
hilary  
#5 Posted : 13 May 2015 08:47:11(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
hilary

We allow staff to have parcels delivered to work. I have never considered it a health and safety problem before. If the parcel can be lifted by the delivery person then I don't really see this as an issue. If not, then specific lifting equipment would be required and anyone in their right minds would not have this delivered to a workplace because how on earth would they get it home????

I think it's a non issue really and you shouldn't expend too much time on it.
Jane Blunt  
#6 Posted : 13 May 2015 09:30:43(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Jane Blunt

We allow it. The only time we had a small problem was when, at a time when terrorists were distributing Anthrax through the post, a small parcel arrived with a sticker on it from an animal rights organisation (not one of the well known ones). There were several mistakes in the address, which is one of the critical warning signs.

Investigation showed it to contain a stuffed toy. We asked the recipient not to have things delivered to work from this organisation, or similar, again.
Andrew W Walker  
#7 Posted : 13 May 2015 09:47:15(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Andrew W Walker

We allow it too.

Lucky as we have a 'goods in' department who can handle some of the things we have delivered. Car axle, wheels, tyres etc.

Given the recent trouble they have had with stock arriving for the business- I wouldn't have an empty box sent here! But that's another story.

I don't think its much of a problem for any business to manage this. As hilary pointed out- why would someone have anything delivered that needed lifting equipment.

If there are 'security' or 'damage' issues then I'd say that its HR and local management that need to be dealing with this.

Andy
A Kurdziel  
#8 Posted : 13 May 2015 10:24:52(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

My last employer had banned the practice. A push bike-user had ordered themselves a new set of bike lights. What they forgot was that all of the packages a x-rayed when they arrive and the staff in the post room saw a package containing wires and batteries and the like. This of course triggered a bomb alert!
Why would you want to take responsibility for some else’s deliveries?
David Bannister  
#9 Posted : 13 May 2015 11:14:45(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
David Bannister

On-line shopping is massive, still growing and not likely to disappear anytime soon. So for people at work, receiving their purchases at home becomes a problem, particularly as most couriers will only deliver during daytime working hours.

The decision on whether to accept personal deliveries is a tricky one and will depend on many factors.

As safety professionals we should be seeking to allow activities to proceed safely etc rather than banning them and not duped in to allowing others an easy way out by saying "H&S has banned it"
walker  
#10 Posted : 13 May 2015 11:23:14(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
walker

I am happy to be branded an old misery.
Knowing the chancers that work here, I hate to think were it would end up if this was allowed.

However as another poster says don't let this become a H&S issue.
achrn  
#11 Posted : 13 May 2015 11:55:56(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
achrn

A Kurdziel wrote:

Why would you want to take responsibility for some else’s deliveries?


That's the point - if you really think it might be a problem make it clear that you don't take responsibility. Make it explicit that reception staff will allow the delivery agent to deposit the package, and will sign anything put in front of their noses, but take no responsibility for anything.

But I don't think it's a problem.
A Kurdziel  
#12 Posted : 13 May 2015 12:12:38(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

Ok my job to be the miserable one this week.
Allowing staff to receive parcels at work might work for a small business but at my last job we received dozens (hundreds) of parcels every day. These had to be received and security checked. Then they were distributed around the site. We could not just leave them in reception, there was no room and it was not clear if a parcel was a personal one or a business one.
Parcels can get misdelivered and lost and so the poor sods in the post room would get the blame even though it was not their fault.
Not worth the hassle.
grim72  
#13 Posted : 13 May 2015 13:01:46(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
grim72

Just tell them to buy an Audi - problem solved - see link for info: http://www.autoexpress.c...arcels-to-your-cars-boot
Andrew W Walker  
#14 Posted : 13 May 2015 13:35:57(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Andrew W Walker

quote=A Kurdziel]Ok my job to be the miserable one this week.
Allowing staff to receive parcels at work might work for a small business but at my last job we received dozens (hundreds) of parcels every day. These had to be received and security checked. Then they were distributed around the site. We could not just leave them in reception, there was no room and it was not clear if a parcel was a personal one or a business one.
Parcels can get misdelivered and lost and so the poor sods in the post room would get the blame even though it was not their fault.
Not worth the hassle.



Not miserable at all. I think that's a sensible thing to do. If we were to have dozens of items per day I think the 'powers that be' would start to look at it.
Roundtuit  
#15 Posted : 13 May 2015 23:39:27(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

this is the manifestation of global internet shopping - unfortunately many shippers are either unaware or choose to ignore basic common sense and carriers published rules in search of profit.

Before Christmas from an independent seller on a popular web site via a well known courier - contents 2 tins of Lighter Fluid!

Personal packages banned from site based on the employment contract "focus on company business during working hours". And for those that need delivery during working hours - Family. neighbour or one of the drop sites available through most providers.
Roundtuit  
#16 Posted : 13 May 2015 23:39:27(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

this is the manifestation of global internet shopping - unfortunately many shippers are either unaware or choose to ignore basic common sense and carriers published rules in search of profit.

Before Christmas from an independent seller on a popular web site via a well known courier - contents 2 tins of Lighter Fluid!

Personal packages banned from site based on the employment contract "focus on company business during working hours". And for those that need delivery during working hours - Family. neighbour or one of the drop sites available through most providers.
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