Further to my posts here about the OH&S issues with heavy newspapers and the risk of employee injury if publishers and newsagents do not address the problem, research ought not be undertaken on magazine bundle weight. The stack in the photo arrived this morning bundled together. While we do not have scales we feel it weighed around 15kg – but we may be wrong in our estimate. The bundle was the heaviest we received and, in our view, way too heavy. Maybe we will get some scales and start keeping track of this.
UPDATE: We have purchased scales and will now record the weight of heavy bundles.
WOT ABOUT THE BIG CHUNKY SATURDAY PAPERS AND THE THROWING OF THEM FROM VEHICLE
Hector, Check out my earlier posts on this issue of heavy newspapers. Mark
Not long ago I got annoyed with the weight of magazines that had been delivered. So out of interest I emailed NDD who was the major offender asking them “Out of interest what is the recommended maximum weight parcels can be before it becomes an occupational health and safety issue”
I was interesting in knowing what was the maximum weight we could sent to them and what they could send to me.
Im only asked them because i had noticed the parcels of magazines from them had been getting heavier and heavier for example today on one day one of the parcels I received weighs 19.57 kg and the other one weighs 13.77 kg. I would of rather get 3 smaller parcels ones that weighs no more then 13kg.
There reply was “The maximum recommended weight is 14kg where a manual lift is involved.”
Delivering smaller parcels is difficult, if they are not strapped together there is a risk the smaller keyparcel moves about on the truck and then not unloaded when the truck arrives at your retail outlet.
Hence the reason why the driver is strapping the smaller key parcels together to assist with ensuring you receive all the keyparcels.
I would recommend that you purchase a hand trolley from Bunnings, the one with the pump up tires, they retail for $25 and make life much easier moving magazine bulk and heavier keyparcels. I would also recommend you implement a culture with your staff that all bulk must be moved using the trolley/s and not lifted by hand”
Ok I can understand trying to keep a delivery together by strapping it all together, however by doing so it makes the parcel extremly heavy and well over 14kg
As for the trolley suggestion I asked them for the $25 to buy one if they continue to send me excussive heavy magazine parcels. Still waiting for a reply.
Jennifer is spot on.
There are far too many small parcels that contain only a few magazines. This can cause major difficulties during the delivery process and often results in smaller parcels being overlooked or mis-delivered.
I would suggest that this was why the bundles were strapped together in the first place. Not to try and make your life difficult Mark, actually just the opposite. What would you prefer? To receive one heavy bundle with 10 small key parcels strapped together, or to only receive half of the stock?
It is not uncommon for the load to shift in the back of the truck (or van), or for parcels to be overlooked during delivery due to the poor lighting available in the pre-dawn hours.
Maybe instead of trying to handle the larger bundle yourself it may be better idea to take a pair of scissor with you and cut the strapping holding all the smaller parcels together. Just a thought.
Mark,
While we could do that, the challenge is around OH&S. Our obligation is to the regulations. 15kg is the limit. If there is an injury caused with a parcel beyond that then we have a liability.
Mark
Why can’t the driver cut the strapped bundles after they have delivered to the drop off point? they bundled them for ease of their delivery they can unbundle for ease of the receiver.
Just a note FYI. Read the new returns process for the NSW Network/G&G new distribution facilty at Moorebank, all boxes sent back by Newsagents for return must not be heavier than 12 KG and could be rejected if over this limit.
Mark, I understand the point you are trying to make.
Clem, what a ridiculous comment. It is much more likely that the smaller bundles were strapped together in order to ensure that all stock was received in full and not damaged in anyway. I highly doubt that the delivery driver went to the trouble of strapping these parcels together simply to make his own job easier. The individuals responsible for delivering stock into stores have an extremely difficult job at the best of times. I would suggest that if you are lucky enough to have a delivery driver that clearly cares more about the condition that stock is received in than many of the distributors and don’t appreciate it, then more fool you!
Our delivery is a bit of hit and miss, showing that delivery drivers do not really care about the conditions we receive our magazines.
Our secured area unfortunately is not a covered space so we ask that the tarpaulin be used to cover at all times in the event of rain.
I can say that 99% is not done as requested so we are at the mercy of the weather.
Mark,
Can you advise where you got 15kg as the limit? Is this legislated? I always understood there was no specific limit and that weight was simply one factor combined with the number of bundles i.e. repitition
Ted, A couple of years ago I complained to a magazine distributor about heavy parcels. They came back and said there was a requirement for OH&S that they be 15kg or less. It’s stuck in my mind every since. I have just had a search of Worksafe Victoria’s website and cannot find a number. Mark
Sounds like a standard the distributor decided to set rather than a legal limit.
Whats the issue,
we are responsible once it is delivered, If the parcel is too heavy to lift then take your own scissors and break up the parcel before your move it.
We are all responsible for our own staff, so you teach them break up the bundles, at least you get your delivery.
Why don’t you look at where the problem is occurring? NDD has been sending these smaller parcels for years and it is ridiculous. It increases the workload for everyone; the truck drivers bundle the whole lot up into one gigantic parcel that weighs too much to handle, the newsagent has to process 20+ invoices when there should only be 5 invoices.
NDD is the source of why these issues are occurring, take it up with them.
This forum gives newsagents the opportunity to raise and discuss important issues. Generally it succeeds. Sometimes it degenerates into a whingefest. Unfortunately this has become one of them.
off-topic;
people keep calling this blog a forum, maybe i just have a different understanding of the term.
but i see a forum as something where different people raise different topics and reply to them, as opposed to one person leading/starting the discussions.
in saying that, is there actually any sort of newsagency-focused forum with a similar approach as this blog?
we wish
Aaron,
Forums can take many forms. This is most certainly one of them. Check out http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/forum
And yes to your last question. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/newsagents/