Video: Dayton area carriers collapse in the heat and fear discipline

letter carriers, postal, postu.be 16 Comments

Mail carriers feel the heat

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – Chris Smith has been delivering the mail for eight years. He said he’s been in the hospital several times with heat exhaustion.

“I’ll cool myself down take a few extra minutes in between stops, cool myself down and get prepared for the next walking split.,” he said.

By contract, mail carriers are allowed two ten-minute paid breaks and a 30-minute unpaid lunch each day.

The United States Postal Service says it realizes on a week like this one more rest might be required, but mail carriers tell 2 NEWS Investigates they feel pushed to not let the heat slow them down.

Read more: Mail carriers feel the heat.

  • B Pierce

    concern about the heat? Nonsense! when they come out to check on you,they never leave their air-conditioned vehicles,but they want to know why it’s taking you so long to deliver a full occupant,the ad circs,and a 2 hour pivot!

    • WILBUR517

      Check on you ?!? Our supv won’t leave the office, let alone their vehicles. When we come back to the office after the street, it’s so cold in the office, you get goose bumps, “there’s lots of water in the conference room”.. WARM!!! Thank-You very much. 04102

      • TheRealFed

        When I would come off the street at the end of the day, it would be COLD in the office( AC going full tilt ) and hotter than you-know-what outside.

  • mailman60

    The carriers don’t have an air conditioned truck just a small fan to blow the hot air back in your face and the ask why you have heat exhaustion well have them walk the route with the same weight that you carry on the swing you have to have breaks and water and headgear that makes you sweat and you lose moisture and have to drink again and again and then more breaks for comfort so a normal two hour swing becomes a twoand a half hour swing make them pay using time for your breaks take care of the mail and yourself you are your own boss on the route you know how long it takes then force the issue go the normal pace and don’t run the route like they really want you to once you leave the station you are the engine and you take as long as it takes to deliver the mail don’t let them tell you how long on hot days fill out a 3996 and let them know before you leave or call later and tell them you are the master on the street . WE deliver in heat at 110 in summer and it slows us down so we let them know that I,M the carrier not them they stay in the office when its hot only the brown nose supervisors go out and sometimes they collapse in the heat and we call it in no discipline

    • Postal Douchebag

      Loser!

  • left for dead

    Your health and safety is your responsibility. Discipline for h&s issues is an opportunity for a successful grievance. Suspension or termination is an opportunity for easy money.

  • Ladychief

    I understand and agree. I am a letter carrier and I got off the overtime (OT) list a couple of years ago because our carrier supervisor yelled at all OT carriers for taking to long on the street.
    When one of the carriers tried to talk about the heat the supervisor yelled back he didn’t want to hear it. He said “OPS” does not recognize weather as a factor. They also put a CORPORATE service talk on our scanners (July 2013) that said and I quote “During extreme temperatures seek shade during authorized
    breaks”. HAH!!! Still work OT because they mandatory us almost everyday.

  • SVMailman

    This happens in all weather. You have to fight back and use your union officials to back it up. I have sat out lightning strikes, too close for comfort, also. All carriers should know that the numbers and times they project CANNOT be used for disciplinary actions. Know your rights, do your job in a safe and secure manner. Be safe brothers and sisters in blue.

  • TheRealFed

    Never used the fan in the vehicle since it just made things worse, and the fan noise would drive me nuts. Stinkin’ fan just took up unneeded space and was always in the way. We don’t need no stinkin’ fans!

    • RFCPSC

      Touch my fan, I’ll kill you !!!! LOL

  • ajayon

    As a letter carrier you are allowed as many comfort stops as needed. Comfort stops can be for cooling down in excessive heat and anything else needed for your comfort. They are in addition to your two ten minute breaks.

    • akarrier

      Right on!

  • Dann

    If he has been there 8 years and had heat related hospitalization several times then he needs to find another job.

  • RFCPSC

    Very simple folks. Hydration !!!!Yesterday, throughout the day, I drank more than a gallon of water. And you have to start the process while you are still in the office, not when you hit the street. And if you are intimidated that much, that you rush around in 95 degree heat. You should either contact the union, or start looking for a new profession !!!

  • Grady Malachowski

    THE USPS IS 1 OF THE WORSE PLACES TO WORK. JUST LOOK AT THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ARTICLE ABOUT THE 100 WORSE PLACES TO WORK!

  • Ladychief

    Right or wrong management uses intimidation. Still frustrating and difficult to understand their lack of concern for our health and well being