Evri 'super-site' hub examined by health and safety body

A parcel depot run by the delivery firm Evri is being examined by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI).

It follows concerns raised by staff about some working conditions at the hub in Mallusk, County Antrim, since it opened in September.

The HSENI visited the site several times and said it was "continuing to work with Evri to ensure that legal compliance is achieved and sustained".

Evri said that the "safety of our people is a priority" and it would continue to routinely work with public bodies "to ensure we deliver on the high standards we expect".

The company faced scrutiny over the Christmas period following complaints from customers about delayed and missing parcels.

Evri apologised and said it was continuing to invest in its Northern Ireland delivery service.

The trade union GMB, which represents some Evri staff, had said the new £1.3m "super-site" depot in Mallusk led to "Christmas chaos".

It is understood concerns raised by staff included issues with toilet facilities as well as fire safety.

HSENI is the public body responsible for promoting and enforcing health and safety at work standards in Northern Ireland.

It said it visited the Evri depot on the outskirts of north Belfast on three separate occasions between late September and early December.

"HSENI is continuing to work with Evri to ensure that legal compliance is achieved and sustained within the premises," it added in a statement.

"HSENI has also been liaising with other regulatory partners in relation to this site."

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) confirmed it was contacted by HSENI and a fire safety inspection was carried out.

"We conducted a fire safety inspection of the premises in accordance with our fire safety enforcement policy and any issues raised were resolved," an NIFRS spokesperson said.

"We later conducted a follow-up visit to ensure compliance was continuing to be adhered to."

The GMB's Alan Perry told BBC News NI the "volume" of parcels that staff were dealing with led to concerns, but he understood "things have improved".

"We're working productively with the company to alleviate any concerns and teething issues that may still remain with the site," he said.

"It was more around the volume of the movements to the new hub in the month of Christmas.

"Clearly the volume of parcels that were going through that was causing issues, with the volume staff were expected to work around."

In a statement Evri said the depot had been launched during a peak business period in the run-up to Christmas.

"The safety of our people is a priority and following the opening of our brand new depot in Belfast, we welcome the support of HSENI during one of our busiest peak periods to date," a spokesperson said.

"Our new site is part of a £1.3m investment in Northern Ireland, allowing us to expand our operations in the region, as well as creating more jobs for local people, and we continue to routinely work with public bodies, including HSENI, to ensure we deliver on the high standards we expect."

The involvement of the HSENI was recently confirmed by Stormont's economy minister Caoimhe Archibald.

"HSENI has been engaging and working with GMB Union representatives in relation to Evri distribution partners within the supply chain on a regular basis," she said.

The Sinn Féin minister was responding to a written question submitted by the Ulster Unionist Party assembly member Diana Armstrong.