The "Black Friday" craze has well and truly settled here in the UK. Originating in the US, and considered as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season, Black Friday is a day (or a week in some cases now) when retailers offer promotional sales, and shoppers take full advantage. However, this year, there is a fear that the popular deals are creating a road safety risk.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has reportedly been called in by MP Frank Field to investigate a case where delivery company Hermes has asked its drivers to work extra days. Reportedly, if the couriers agree to the request, some of them could be working 20 days without a break. At the moment, some of the couriers work six days a week, and have now been asked to work on Sundays too, although Hermes has stressed that working on a Sunday is entirely optional for its drivers.
Mr Field asked the HSE "to ensure the company’s actions do not put the safety of its couriers as well as road users at risk". The HSE is now considering the request.
Hermes is expecting that it will have to deliver 750,000 parcels on the Sunday following Black Friday, and is requesting help to cope with the huge volumes of parcels it is expected to deliver.
A statement by Hermes said "The average courier round takes up to six hours. As a result, we do not believe that if couriers choose to work on those Sundays there will be any safety risks."
If the statement is correct, and an average round takes up to six hours, then working seven days a week will result in a 42 hour week on average for its drivers. Currently, the Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations SI 2005/639 states that in any applicable reference period, the working time of a mobile worker or self-employed driver must not exceed an average of 48 hours for each week.
It would seem that Hermes is not the only company under pressure this Christmas. DPD, which also uses self-employed drivers, said that some drivers worked six days a week leading up to Christmas, but they could choose which hours they worked. In addition, Yodel has also said that some Sunday delivery could be required as a contingency, but it would be voluntary.
