16 thoughts on “OSHA opens investigation into death of California mail carrier’s death on 117-degree day”

1. They should round up all management and sit their asses in a non- air conditioned 25 year old rust bucket LLV on a HOT day and see just how good us carriers have it! I bet this carriers schedule put her out on the street the hottest time of day, probably couldn’t even start casing until 9am and start delivering around 11am or 12pm. Thanks postal management for caring so damn much!!! Investigate management, ask all the other employees how the office was managed and schedules.

2. OSHA should do random checks in all post offices throughout the US I know they would be surprised how many violations would finally be uncovered I remember a carrier calling me saying he was not feeling well while delivering mail in extreme heat the carrier was about 60 years of age I told him to go into air conditioning and not to come out until he felt better and to call me to keep me informed of how he was doing I also told him I would come and pick him up if he needed me to do so the carrier ended up completing his route and returning to the station safely he thanked me for allowing him to cool off imagine that I was thankful nothing happened to him and he did not suffer from heat exhausteion but the manager did not feel the same way he had the nerve to question the letter carrier why he returned late I of course explained the situation to the manager and the manager reprimanded me for allowing the carrier to return late due to excessive heat he said too bad he was hot

3. Postal OIG was following her in an air-conditioned limousine……ROFLMFAO! OIG worse than the dirty cops at the FBI!

4. Why doesn’t Amazon donate air conditioning for postal trucks retrofit them now!!
   OSHA time!!!!!

5. This is totally unacceptable that USPS carriers have to work in extreme weather conditions without Air Con or Heat in the winter. USPS says its Not cost effective! Cost is more important than the Safety of their employees???

6. the postmaster of her post office should be arrested and charged with criminal manslaughter!

7. OSHA will never collect a dime from the po deadbeats!

8. I’m glad osha is involved, the usps is not to be trusted to be forthcoming with ALL the details of this case. I for one, as a carrier, want to know every single detail that led up to this event. Dont trust the usps for a second, been around too long

9. Heat is definately a safety issue that recently the USPS has been paying more attention to.
   I ask now, what about safety during electrical storms? This needs to be addressed as well. Procedures need to be implemented to protect street staff from lightening strikes…

10. Big deal. USPS ignores OSHA fines and nothing will change/matter anyway because as usual postal mgmt. will not be held accountable for anything.

11. Nothing will happen! When all is said and done some stupidvisors will receive bonuses. The carriers call and say they are having a hard time and management just says drink liquids and be back on time! If a carrier is having a tough time,send a few stupidvisors out and have them deliver a few streets. Then they can drink liquids and also be back on time!

12. This is a terrible avoidable tragedy. We city carriers, active and in my case retired, understand that we have to deliver in all types of weather, but from long experience I can tell you those who walk the majority of their routes in this heat probably fare better than driving routes and while the USPS will try to dodge responsibility for any wrongdoing, because that’s what they do, we can’t attribute this carrier’s death to just the heat. I am sure carriers are aware of taking as much water or Gatorade or Poweraid with them as possible. Sometimes I’ve seen some carriers who were afraid of supervisors fail to take a much needed break from the heat, or refill their water supplies. We have to remind ourselves that the real culprits in Districts and Areas are only motivated by numbers that translate into performance bonuses at years’ end. They sit in air conditioned offices, and only venture out to go to lunch while they’re at work. They are totally indifferent to the conditions carriers have to endure.
    One huge factor here is the LLV’s. My truck and others could reach temperatures in the back loading area of 130 degrees or more during the hottest times of year. The deck literally burned my hands, and the paint on the steering wheel melted and came off on my hands. Additionally, the “climate control”, which is a sick joke, only blew hot air from the engine into the front of the LLV, and the worthless little fan only circulated hot air, offering nothing in the way of relief other than a pissy little breeze.
    Other carriers had LLVs that didn’t have working heaters, bad wiring, etc. that made it a real headache just to get these worn out beat up death traps back to the office in the evening. In winter, the defrost took forever to work if it did at all and driver’s doors routinely would freeze open, and would only thaw with the help of a blowtorch, which none of us carried.
    Had this deceased carrier had a decent vehicle, at least one with some sort of ventilation if not an AC to help her cool off, she may still be with us.
    So, active carriers, listen up. And branch officers too: Article 14 of the JCAM prohibits management from forcing any letter carrier to work in truly dangerous conditions. That includes extreme heat from piece of shit vehicles that the USPS is in no hurry to replace. If you have to work in the heat, which you do, you must never allow a supervisor, PM, or other manager keep you from taking basic precautions to avoid the fate of this poor woman.
    1) Carry large jugs of ice water. If your station doesn’t have an ice machine then stop at a convenience store or even a fast food joint and put ice in your jug before you start delivering. If you run low or run out, go to the nearest store or again, a fast food joint, anywhere where you can refill. The best bet here though is to get a fairly large jug.
    2) If you get too hot, take a safety break to cool off under a shade tree, or at least outside that oven you have to drive. It does not count as a normal break – it is for your health and safety so don’t let a supervisor try to flim flam you out of your allotted 10 minute break times.
    3) If you stop sweating, or get a headache or otherwise feel bad, you are in trouble. Go back to your office and get out of the heat. Your boss will bitch but you are near a heatstroke or having one and you are in no condition to be out in the sweltering heat. Your steward must be prepared to defend you should you be threatened with discipline for becoming ill at their behest. Any NALC officer who fails to stick up for you anytime is wrong – but anyone who will not stand by you when you have been overheated needs the boot. Some folks tolerate heat better than others and nobody can demand you get out there if Joe Blow hasn’t complained.
    4) If all else fails and management forces you out, file a complaint with OSHA, the NLRB and your branch. If you have a lousy branch officer who does nothing for anybody, go over their damn heads. It’s your health and your life. I ran an NALC branch for 17 years and while I certainly couldn’t please every last person, and nobody can, most were happy with me because they knew I would fight like a wildcat for them. I turned over the torch when I had two years left before retirement. I wanted to prepare for a new life and take care of my disabled wife.
    This summer is a scorcher and while the show must go on, sometimes that show has to be delayed or have understudies take the place of the star. Stand up for yourself.

13. Very sad story.
    I really believe the Post Office needs set a retirement age for Letter Carriers.
    Should be 55 max age to deliver mail.
    Then either retire or they have to find you a clerk, or rural carrier job.
    This is not going stop with those Bums in charge.
    Routes only getting longer, more deaths.
    NALC do something for those that pay you!

    • Rolando is to busy kissing mgmts butt and being a USPS spokesman.

14. Thank God postal supervisor have many carrier afraid to take extra needed breaks with this kind of conditions

15. Postal workers do not deserve this kind of treatment.

Comments are closed.