The new IOC training note deals with the specific issue of potential dog attack at door and gives a three-stream signposting of knowledge and simulation exercises based on the identification of low, medium and high risk of a dog incident at the delivery point

Dog attack remains the main cause of injury in express logistics during delivery. Dog attack training should therefore feature strongly in apprentice training courses for express delivery drivers.

It is an element of skills unit SF7 in the standard and is part of role simulation exercise 5 in the end point assessment plan. The grading descriptors for SF7 are:

SF7.1 Identify dangers to self, colleagues and customers; SF7.2 identify delivery zones prone to animal attack; SF7.2 Maintain health, safety and security

Taught knowledge and assessment varies greatly across the sector. This IOC signpost aims to bring some uniformity to best practice delivery and assessment for what is a critical safety issue that couriers face every day.

The signpost explains three streams of knowledge and skills which need to be taught to avoid a dog attack incident. The signpost programme is based around a photo card challenge. There are three streams of exercise with blocks of photo cards, the three streams being separated into, access & exit, type of dog and behaviour of dog.

Three streams of photo cards

In a knowledge delivery and assessment simulation the IOC recommends that the candidate is challenged to identify low medium and high risk of each of the three streams of photo cards. Discussion of action and intent should follow the photo card stream deliveries.

STREAM ONE

Door. Variations of vision, entry and access at door to avoid dog attack in express delivery. Photo cards depicting different doors, access and exit, rural green garden to flat in confined upper access balcony. Focus on vision and exit, particularly unidentified vision in confined areas of balcony access.

STREAM TWO

Type of dog. Photo cards of different breeds of dogs, small medium and large, those breeds which present greater danger to generate attack than others.

STREAM THREE

Behaviour of Dog. Photo cards of confrontment, variation, happy dog, stand-off, dog likely to attack, yawn, teeth, snarl, stance.