Postman bikes 'health and safety risk'
July 28th 14:33 Health and Safety
Facilities management issues may need to be addressed when it comes to postmen's bicycles, after it has been suggested they could pose a health and safety risk.
Royal Mail has announced plans to scrap the traditional bikes due to concerns that the mode of transport can cause a "long-term muscular and skeletal impact".
Paul Tolhurt, the company's field operations director, has advised the 14,500 bicycles currently on the UK's roads will be replaced by vans, with postmen delivering letters and parcels from trolleys.
He explained: "We have seen an increase in accidents linked to the use of cycles on busy road networks when workers are carrying bags. It is a matter of safety."
The move puts an end to a 130-year history of postmen using bicycles to go about their daily duties.
However all of them will not be removed from the roads at one, but instead will be gradually phased out.
According to the Royal Mail, postmen in the UK suffered a total of 1,065 injuries in 2008/9, which was a 14 per cent increase on the previous year.
