News about a Texas UPS driver who reportedly fainted behind the wheel of his truck and crashed it into a tree raises questions about whether some employers are doing enough to protect delivery drivers and mail carriers in extreme heat.
A UPS spokeswoman said in an email she couldn’t comment on the incident, but she defended what she said was the company’s strong investment in safety for workers, particularly in extreme heat. The company invests more than $400 million annually in its safety training, she noted.
Still, the incident causes us to wonder whether such measures are adequate. It’s also a troubling reminder of the tragic death last year of U.S. Postal Service worker Eugene Gates Jr., who collapsed and died while working his Dallas route on a day when the heat index reached 113 degrees.
Earlier this month, more than 70 U.S. House Democrats, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, urged the Postal Service to immediately implement a new heat safety rule proposed by OSHA to protect mail carriers and other outdoor workers. The rule, which may not be final for years, requires commonsense measures such as mandatory 15-minute breaks after two hours of work and readily available cool water.
“Proactively implementing this rule would save lives by ensuring that your workforce is protected with the most up to date heat safety standards,” their letter says.
Disturbingly, the lawmakers also allege that Postal Service supervisors often “chastise letter carriers who slow down on their route,” thereby discouraging them from taking needed breaks.
The Postal Service didn’t return our request for comment, but it has previously said it would wait for the OSHA rulemaking process to play out. That’s disappointing.