Plod not allowed to change flat tyres

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Satch

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On their own patrol cars that is. Some genius went so far down the outsourcing route they now have to wait for the contract company to turn up.

"Details of the policy emerged after two officers were left waiting to be rescued for almost two hours in Surbiton, south London, after getting a flat tyre.

Even though there was a spare wheel and a jack in the boot, the officers were not allowed to change the tyre.

They had to wait with the car for two hours for a breakdown van.

Peter Smyth, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said a 10-year contract had been signed by the force for its 3,600 vehicles with VT Critical Services. "


Police told not to change tyres - Telegraph
 
Next they'll be told not to arrest anyone either ...

I wonder how many doughnuts they got through while they were waiting ?
 
He (Met spokesman) said: "Police vehicles are maintained to very high standards as they are subject to continual and demanding use 24/7.
"For these reasons tyres are changed by specialist contractors."



Do we all need to go on a training course? or can we still trust the job to Kwik-fit?
 
A similar thing happened with the local authority I worked for. They got rid of the resident electrician and employed contractors so when a light bulb needed changing one had to wait until it was worthwhile to the contractor to come to the building, months could pass by before it was changed. <sigh>
 
Where i work it is an old victorian building with high ceilings , we always used to change the bulbs ourselves when they blew ( we are a 24 hour site so we need light at night in the office ) ...

Earlier this year we got a shiny new stepladder delivered from head office , but on the third step up ( of a six step ladder ) was a sticker that says ' DO NOT STAND ON THIS STEP OR ABOVE ! '

No more changing bulbs for us ... madness
 
I gather that the tax men and women of HMRC have to ring their fleet partner for such things also (Inchcape)
 
I think it should be part of the driving test if you are able to do so.
 
Could it be because so many companies have been sued by employees getting hurt when doing work outside their job description?
 
Could it be because so many companies have been sued by employees getting hurt when doing work outside their job description?
Good point but surely a professional driver ought to have such a basic mundane act form part of their job. What happens when they need fuel?:dk:
 
Could it be because so many companies have been sued by employees getting hurt when doing work outside their job description?
I was thinking along vaguely similar lines. 'Back pain' after changing a tyre is hard to disprove, and I believe the Police have had a bit of an issue with long term sick leave in the past.
 
Could it be because so many companies have been sued by employees getting hurt when doing work outside their job description?


Possibly - it's the usual excuse.

Why not let employees decide for themselves. If they feel confident to do it, then go ahead, on the proviso that if there's an accident, no claim. If they are not agile/confident enough, don't do it.

I think there are still enough realistic people that would view falling off a step ladder (or getting hurt changing a tyre) as a very rare and unlikely event, and probably their own fault if they did. Of course, this is about personal responsibility and common sense - anethema to the current stupidity.
 
Possibly - it's the usual excuse.

Why not let employees decide for themselves.


I suspect the real story is like our fleet of vans, the tyre company with the contract is given the spare wheels and when a driver reports a puncture, the tyre company takes one of the spare wheels out & swaps it over. The punctured one is taken back to the tyre depot & repaired ready for the next call out.

Russ
 
Good point but surely a professional driver ought to have such a basic mundane act form part of their job. What happens when they need fuel?:dk:

Even the most highly paid drivers in the world don't change their own wheels or put fuel in.
 
I am now at work , and i think i have done the good people at HS a dis-service ....

The sticker warning us of the danger of heights is not in fact on the third step , but the fourth step ....

This allows us to gain an extra 55 cm / 23 inches in height by standing on the third step .

I feel safer already.
 
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