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.