Contribute to health, safety and security in mail services
Overview
This standard is about contributing to health, safety and security in mail services. It includes following the relevant health and safety guidelines, and stresses that the safety of yourself and others is paramount. You may need to identify a range of health, safety and security risks and respond to these quickly. In the event of emergencies, you are expected to ensure that the relevant assistance is summoned, and that the emergency services are called, where necessary.
Mail security risks are paramount and can include foreign objects, suspected bombs and other dangerous devices and substances. All staff are responsible for monitoring mail and packages, and reporting anything suspicious immediately, following organisational protocol.
You will also be responsible for recording any health, safety and security incidents.
This standard covers working in all mail service environments, including Royal Mail, and is aimed at operatives involved in mail services at all levels.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
contribute to maintaining health, safety and security by following all the relevant requirements and organisational **procedures at all times when working in mail services
identify mail items that could pose a risk to health, safety and security
- follow organisational procedures and approved precautions to identify and minimise risks to health, safety and security
- monitor mail to identify any potential health, safety and security risks, and report these internally
- follow the relevant guidelines for organisational safe working practices, including the correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and material handling equipment
- take immediate action to prevent harm to yourself and others when potential health, safety and security risks are identified
- respond to incidents and emergencies, in accordance with organisational procedures
- report and record all health, safety and security incidents in the relevant information and recording system, in accordance with organisational procedures, and following all the relevant data and information security regulations relating to staff, customers and delivery partners
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
the relevant legal responsibilities and requirements that contribute to maintaining health, safety and security in mail services
the implications of non-compliance with mail integrity and security regulations
- the relevant organisational procedures for minimising health, safety and security risks in mail services
- your own responsibilities to protect yourself and others in relation to health, safety and security in your organisation
- the importance of prioritising health, safety and security and the relevant precautions that can be used and applied to mail services
- how to identify the potential health, safety and security risks related to your mail services work area
- the action that should be taken if risks to health, safety and security are identified
- the relevant precautions and safe working practices that could be taken to prevent harm or damage
- the action to take in the event of an incident or emergency including the relevant safety drills and alarms that are used in the organisation
- the designated first-aiders authorised by the organisation in relation to your work area
- the relevant organisational policies on confidentiality and data protection legislation
- the information and recording systems used by the organisation and the requirements for maintaining records