Heat-Related Death of Postal Worker Leads to Controversial Fine

By Ariel Wittenberg & E&E News

CLIMATEWIRE | Federal regulators are fining the U.S. Postal Service over its failure to protect workers from heat after a letter carrier died of heat stroke in Dallas this past June.

Eugene Gates collapsed while delivering mail on June 20, a day when the National Weather Service had issued an excessive heat warning. His death garnered national attention over USPS policies that can exacerbate heat illness in its workers.

A recent E&E News investigation revealed that Gates was one of potentially thousands of postal service workers who did not receive proper heat safety training in accordance with the Postal Service’s own policies. Managers across the agency “falsified” official records to hide the lack of training, according to the letter carriers’ union.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration now says the Postal Service failed to protect its workers on June 20 from “the recognized hazard of high outdoor heat including high temperature, high humidity and direct sun exposure.” The heat index in Dallas that day ranged from 96 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit.

“Such exposures are likely to lead to the development of serious heat-related illnesses such as, but not limited to, heat cramps, heat stress, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and death,” OSHA said in the citation.

OSHA is proposing a $15,625 fine and giving the Postal Service until Jan. 18 to “abate” the heat hazard through numerous means. Critically, that includes through ensuring “that every employee is trained” in accordance with the Postal Service’s Heat Illness Prevention Program, as well as allowing employees to take rest breaks and drink water when temperatures rise and starting mail deliveries earlier on hot days.

USPS declined to comment, saying only it is “reviewing the citation.” The agency has a history of fighting heat-related OSHA citations.

Kimetra Lewis, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Dallas branch, said when she saw the dollar amount of the citation, she initially thought it was “a slap in the face.”

“I was like, ‘Oh my God, is that all they thought [Gates’] life was worth?’” she said.

But after reading the full text of the citation — and its requirement that USPS take certain steps to keep letter carriers safe in the heat — Lewis said she became “grateful because it is showing that the Postal Service had a role and responsibility in his death.”

The citation comes as the Postal Service is increasingly under fire for its failure to protect workers from heat. Democrats on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee have been bullish on the issue, writing multiple letters to Postmaster Louis DeJoy about agency policies that they say could be putting letter carriers at risk. Most recently, lawmakers have called for a hearing with USPS witnesses about the issue.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), who has been leading that charge, said the OSHA citation was “heartening to see” because it constitutes “a recognition of the failure by USPS to protect employee safety.”

But, she added, “more must be done to protect those in public service and prevent severe injuries or loss of life.”

Reprinted from E&E News with permission from POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2023. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environment professionals.

By Ariel Wittenberg & E&E News

CLIMATEWIRE | Federal regulators are fining the U.S. Postal Service over its failure to protect workers from heat after a letter carrier died of heat stroke in Dallas this past June.

Eugene Gates collapsed while delivering mail on June 20, a day when the National Weather Service had issued an excessive heat warning. His death garnered national attention over USPS policies that can exacerbate heat illness in its workers.

A recent E&E News investigation revealed that Gates was one of potentially thousands of postal service workers who did not receive proper heat safety training in accordance with the Postal Service’s own policies. Managers across the agency “falsified” official records to hide the lack of training, according to the letter carriers’ union.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration now says the Postal Service failed to protect its workers on June 20 from “the recognized hazard of high outdoor heat including high temperature, high humidity and direct sun exposure.” The heat index in Dallas that day ranged from 96 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit.

“Such exposures are likely to lead to the development of serious heat-related illnesses such as, but not limited to, heat cramps, heat stress, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and death,” OSHA said in the citation.

OSHA is proposing a $15,625 fine and giving the Postal Service until Jan. 18 to “abate” the heat hazard through numerous means. Critically, that includes through ensuring “that every employee is trained” in accordance with the Postal Service’s Heat Illness Prevention Program, as well as allowing employees to take rest breaks and drink water when temperatures rise and starting mail deliveries earlier on hot days.

USPS declined to comment, saying only it is “reviewing the citation.” The agency has a history of fighting heat-related OSHA citations.

Kimetra Lewis, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Dallas branch, said when she saw the dollar amount of the citation, she initially thought it was “a slap in the face.”

“I was like, ‘Oh my God, is that all they thought [Gates’] life was worth?’” she said.

But after reading the full text of the citation — and its requirement that USPS take certain steps to keep letter carriers safe in the heat — Lewis said she became “grateful because it is showing that the Postal Service had a role and responsibility in his death.”

The citation comes as the Postal Service is increasingly under fire for its failure to protect workers from heat. Democrats on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee have been bullish on the issue, writing multiple letters to Postmaster Louis DeJoy about agency policies that they say could be putting letter carriers at risk. Most recently, lawmakers have called for a hearing with USPS witnesses about the issue.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), who has been leading that charge, said the OSHA citation was “heartening to see” because it constitutes “a recognition of the failure by USPS to protect employee safety.”

But, she added, “more must be done to protect those in public service and prevent severe injuries or loss of life.”

Reprinted from E&E News with permission from POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2023. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environment professionals.