Arizona postal worker cooks steak inside mail truck to show ‘unsafe’ working conditions
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Arizona postal worker cooks steak inside mail truck to show ‘unsafe’ working conditions
Aug 8, 2019
We've all heard the expression "it's so hot outside you can fry an egg on the sidewalk." But how many have actually cooked a steak in their work vehicle? A post office delivery employee in Arizona has done just that to display how unsafe and dangerous it can be inside the vehicles that postal carriers have to drive every day.
Arizona State Representative Shawnna Bolick is asking for an investigation into what she describes as unsafe work conditions for Valley postal service workers. Bolick sent a letter yesterday to the President of the American Postal Workers Union, Mark Dimonstein, urging him to investigate reports of hazardous working conditions for mail carriers because of the Arizona heat.
“It is shocking to hear of postal workers having to endure the extreme Arizona temperatures that result in delivery trucks, many of which do not have air conditioning, regularly reaching above 128 degrees, Bolick wrote. “Working conditions must be improved immediately to ensure the safety of mail carriers subjected to these dangerous temperatures.
It seems the majority of the postal delivery carriers do not even have proper air condition in their vehicles, causing extreme heat and unsafe conditions. There is an appalling lack of safety leadership judging by the sheer number of complaints being put forth by postal carriers. Temperatures in these vehicles can go upwards of 120 degrees, which is life-threatening. Employees can suffer dehydration, heatstroke and are at an increased risk of death. A post office employee cooked a steak on their dashboard at an internal temperature of 148 degrees. Safe to eat? Yes. Safe to drive? Absolutely not. The United States Post Office did not respond directly to the allegations of the employee that cooked the steak for their supervisor. However, they did release the following comment:
“We want to emphasize the Postal Service works to protect its employees all year through a strong health and safety program. This includes instructions on messaging through the handheld carrier scanners, frequent service talks on recognizing heat illnesses and taking shade or hydration, and street supervision that checks on carriers during the day. Our letter carriers work hard and we appreciate that effort in all conditions.
Several postal employees in the Pheonix area have already been hospitalized after feeling dizzy and disoriented on the job.
The hallmark symptom of heatstroke is a core body temperature above 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Fainting may also be the first sign that something is seriously wrong. Other symptoms can include a severe headache, dizziness, muscle cramps, and muscle weakness, nausea, and vomiting. Additionally, the skin may be red, hot, and dry and the employee may not be sweating despite the sweltering heat.
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Arizona State Representative Shawnna Bolick is asking for an investigation into what she describes as unsafe work conditions for Valley postal service workers.
Bolick sent a letter yesterday to the President of the American Postal Workers Union, Mark Dimonstein, urging him investigate reports of hazardous working conditions for mail carriers because of the Arizona heat.
“It is shocking to hear of postal workers having to endure the extreme Arizona temperatures that result in delivery trucks, many of which do not have air conditioning, regularly reaching above 128 degrees,” Bolick wrote. “Working conditions must be improved immediately to ensure the safety of mail carriers subjected to these dangerous temperatures.”
