Postal worker delivering mail in Irving Texas. A letter cited two prior heat related deaths since 2012. Image: Trong Nguyen/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffA group of more than a dozen House Democrats active in civil service issues has pressed the Postal Service for information on safety practices following the recent death on the job of a carrier during extreme heat conditions in Texas.
Their letter cited two prior deaths under similar circumstances since 2012; in the second case, it said, OSHA cited the USPS for “failing to provide and maintain a work environment free from recognizable hazards, such as extreme heat, that are likely to cause death or serious harm.”
They also cited news reports about delivery vehicles lacking air conditioning and said that while a large order of new vehicles has been made, they will not be in service until next year at the earliest. “With the increase in extreme heat indexes across the country, we have serious concerns that the Postal Service’s failure to invest in and fix existing vehicle air-conditioning units and failure to effectively implement policies to reduce employee exposure to extreme conditions place our letter carriers at risk, especially in the coming months,” they wrote.
They asked for information including: measures in place to address heat-related risks to mail carriers; how decisions are made whether to adjust when carriers must begin their routes considering risks such as extreme heat; how many requests were made by unions or individual carriers to make such adjustments over the last 12 months and their outcome; and whether the agency will prioritize repairing and replacing vehicles without working air conditioning in areas subject to extreme heat.
OPM Advises Agencies on Conducting RIFs During Shutdown
Updated Shutdown Contingency Plans Show Range of Impacts
Use Shutdown as Justification for More RIFs, OMB Tells Agencies
Unions Win a Round in Court Disputes over Anti-Representation Orders
Deferred Resignation Periods End for Many; Overall 12% Drop
Senate Bill Would Override Trump Orders against Unions
See also,
How to Handle Taxes Owed on TSP Roth Conversions? Use a Ladder
The Best Ages for Federal Employees to Retire
Best States to Retire for Federal Retirees: 2025
