Barking mad:
Postmen get up close with Felix, who demonstrates what a dog about to attack looks like, during a training session.
Doggone it!:
Trainer Lewis Sum suggests postmen act friendly towards dogs, because they will meet the same dogs day after day, and dogs can recognise those who treat them well.
Pedal power:
Hong Kong Cycling Association Coach Ho Wai-hung (left) says carrying lots of letters on their bicycles requires postmen to develop balancing skills.
Courses help dogged postmen switch gears
July 17, 2011
Toting heavy bags full of letters and parcels is one of the lesser challenges for Hongkong Post delivery agents. They also face rugged paths and fierce guard dogs, especially in rural areas. To ensure their personal safety, their employer offers training courses, from dealing with dogs to safe cycling.
Tang Man-kit used to run away whenever he saw a dog. It was a case of ‘once bitten, twice shy’ for the young man who had experienced a dog bite as a child. So when his employer Hongkong Post assigned him to deliver letters in villages in Ma On Shan, the Hongkong post offered him a one-day dog safety training course, which organised by the Occupational Safety and Health Council.
Dog trainer Lewis Sum leads the course, ably assisted by Felix. Leaning forward on stiff legs, the hair on the back of his neck and tail standing up, barking fiercely, the six-year-old German shepherd seems menacing. But he is a trained dog, responsible for displaying the warning signs of a dog attack.
Despite plenty of stories that suggest otherwise, Mr Sum insists that dogs do not hate postmen.
“They bark or even attack to protect their territories, and postmen usually drop off letters, and leave,” he said. This gives the dog satisfaction as it believes its barking caused the ‘intruder’ to retreat.
“So every time dogs see someone in a postmen’s uniform, they’ll bark at them.”
Mr Sum stressed that dogs do not attack for no reason. If another postman once scolded or hit the dog, it will bark at or attack others in the same uniform. Course participants learn to never scold a barking dog, but stand still, remain calm, and do not show fear.
Since postmen tend to have a fixed route and schedule, they can ask dog owners to make sure the dog is tied up for a certain period each day, or to be present when they deliver letters. Postmen can also carry a stick or an umbrella, not to hit the dog, but to separate them from the dogs if an attack occurs, Mr Sum says.
He suggests postmen act friendly towards dogs, because they will meet the same dogs day after day, and dogs can recognise those who treat them well.
After the course, postman Mr Tang feels more confident.
“I used to run away when I saw dogs, but now I know more about them, and how they act when they are about to attack. I also learned how to get along with dogs when I am on the job, ” Mr Tang said.
Safe cycling
Rugged paths and narrow alleys are another challenge for postmen in rural areas. For places not suited to motor vehicles, bicycles become the mode of transportation. Hongkong Post has a course to teach its staff not only basic cycling skills, but how to drive safely with a heavy sack of mail.
“When cycling for fun, we don’t need to carry heavy loads. But postmen must carry lots of letters on their bike. So they need special skills to balance,” Hong Kong Cycling Association Coach Ho Wai-hung said.
Before developing the training course, he researched the way the postman’s bicycle was constructed, and the routes they would need to traverse. The course content explains the features and structure of the bicycle, basic cycling skills and road safety.
Postwoman Winnie Ma was assigned to deliver letters on Lamma Island - but did not know how to ride a bicycle. After a day’s training with Coach Ho, she had mastered the basics.
“Our coach is professional. He knew my weaknesses and taught me how to ride a bicycle weighed down with letters in a safe way. I was worried when I learned I would have to work on Lamma Island because I cannot deliver the letters by foot on the island. But I don’t have to worry anymore. I can now ride a bicycle.”
Delivering letters and parcels is a top priority for postmen, but so is their personal development and well-being. Hongkong Post invites them to take as many courses as they like - from learning languages to team building - to ensure their on-the-job safety and satisfaction.
This is the first in a series of news.gov.hk
features about Hongkong Post, to mark its 170th anniversary this year.
