Hermes - must be great to work for ...

Delivery_Driver

SADIE wrote: »

Hermes use self employed couriers, they use their own vehicles so the non smoking rule doesn't apply.

You can complain to the company you ordered from and they will contact Hermes, they can't demand your courier doesn't smoke but they will tell them they have had a complaint and who from etc.

Couriers don't have any rights when they have to collect items, smoke, chip fat and worse, I carry fabreeze and use it often. I don't think smells penetrates through the plastic wrapping so shouldn't damage the item.

In the Summer I used to spray my smelly returns and peg the bags on the line for 10 mins before I'd store them in my house.

And don't forget the ones who think its acceptable to return things covered in cat/dog hairs and once someone gave me something with cat wee on it.Some parcels smell so bad it stinks the whole van out.

OP-Hermes couriers can also store the parcels in their houses(they're expected to be depot, deliverer and call centre in one for a pittance) so it may have picked up the smell there.
No laws about smoking in their own homes, but not nice all the same.

funkycoldribena

ZZZZZ...seriously,get a life.

Pembroke

If the MSE Ebay & Auctions board is anything to go by there is a particular brand of mailing bag that seems to smell of smoke no matter what happens to it in transit.

OP I think you should get onto Debenhams and say this to them as they may not be aware of it.

SADIE

SCO wrote
The smoking ban DOES apply to self employed couriers using there own vans/cars.

They will have to tell there insurance company they are using the van for business use so therefore it is a work place, all smoking is banned in work places.

Tell Debenhams of your concerns they will then get onto Hermes if nothing improves and enough people complain say they will go elsewhere Debenhams will soon drop Hermes for another courier

That is incorrect SCO.


smoking regulations in england

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On 1 July 2007, virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces in England became smoke-free. It is against the law to smoke in these places.

Places where you can't smoke

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Under the regulations, it is against the law to smoke in:
■ pubs, bars and nightclubs
■ cafes and restaurants
■ membership clubs
■ indoor shopping centres
■ offices and factories
■ public transport
■ work vehicles used by more than ONE person

What signage do I have to display? A5 size.
The new law requires no-smoking signs to be displayed in all smokefree premises and VEHICLES. Signs help to make it clear which premises and vehicles are smokefree and demonstrate that you are taking the necessary steps to meet the requirements of the new law.

A self employed courier can smoke in their own vehicle, they can not if the vehicle is provided by the company and or is shared but an A5 size sign needs to be shown stipulating no smoking.

I have courier insurance and they do not exclude smoking in the small print, the workplace is a sole workplace, not shared.

That of course wouldn't prevent a customer from complaining to the company they ordered from, that their bags smelt of smoke.

ali-t

Pembroke wrote: »

If the MSE Ebay & Auctions board is anything to go by there is a particular brand of mailing bag that seems to smell of smoke no matter what happens to it in transit.

OP I think you should get onto Debenhams and say this to them as they may not be aware of it.

This ^^^^ I have found some bags I have bought to send things and they smell of smoke.

OneYorkshireLass

SCO wrote: »

Tell Debenhams of your concerns they will then get onto Hermes if nothing improves and enough people complain say they will go elsewhere Debenhams will soon drop Hermes for another courier

Will do. I'll mention it to Dorothy Perkins too - as I told them months ago that the Hermes couriered bags smelt heavily of smoke and they told me it was Hermes' problem.

techspec

Most of the mailing bags i get smell like they have been stored in a warehouse that was on fire. Its something to do with the production process i think - and seems to affect the cheaper end bags. I only use them for items already in their own bag - and not loose items.

Could it be that?

OneYorkshireLass

It's a sweet smoky smell which makes me think it's cigarettes, plus it can be varying degrees too - sometimes just a whiff, other times it's extremely strong. My courier looks like Deidre Barlow - she definitely smokes (her clothes give off the smell too).

SueMaggie

My local Hermes courier definitely smokes in the car as he comes to the door to deliver with the fag hanging out of the side of his mouth.

He also has a really bad BO problem and never actually says anything - just thrusts the parcel at you as you open the door and legs it down the path quick!

SADIE

OneYorkshireLass wrote
It's a sweet smoky smell which makes me think it's cigarettes, plus it can be varying degrees too - sometimes just a whiff, other times it's extremely strong. My courier looks like Deidre Barlow - she definitely smokes (her clothes give off the smell too).

I would never describe cigarette smoke as a "sweet smoky smell". I have to deliver to office blocks, lots of workers outside smoking in most of them, I must stink of secondhand smoke by the end of the day and it's not IMO a sweet smell.

Could it be that?

You can't type cast your poor courier because she looks like Deidre Barlow, surely.