Royal Mail has issued a reminder to customers that recycling bins are not considered a suitable Safeplace location for parcel deliveries. The postal service advises that items should be left in secure, weatherproof areas that are out of sight and easily accessible for posties.
Safeplace Guidelines
Customers can set delivery instructions through the Royal Mail app, specifying where to leave parcels if no one is home. However, the company explicitly states: 'Your chosen Safeplace should be a secure, weatherproof area of the property that is out of sight and easily accessible for us. Requests to place parcels in recycling bins are not considered as a Safeplace by Royal Mail.'
Royal Mail staff may also select a Safeplace on their own if no instructions are given, but only if the location meets their criteria.
Dog Safety Advice
In addition to Safeplace guidance, Royal Mail urges dog owners to keep pets away from the door during deliveries. The company reports that over 2,000 dog attacks on postal workers occurred in the past year, a figure that has dropped from the previous year but remains a serious concern.
Royal Mail advises: 'Dog attacks can happen when you’ve opened the door to sign for an item. Please keep your dog in another room before answering the door and make sure children don’t open the door, as dogs can push by them and attack.' They recommend giving dogs food or a toy to occupy them and waiting 10 minutes after mail delivery before letting pets back into the hallway.
Industry Response
Lizz Lloyd, Health and Safety Director at Royal Mail, said: 'While it’s encouraging to see dog attacks on our colleagues fall by 8% last year, these incidents remain a serious risk to postal workers, resulting in painful injuries and lasting distress. Every attack is one too many.' She added that preventing attacks starts at the doorstep and urged dog owners to take simple steps to keep postal workers safe.
