Rep. Chu Demands USPS Protect Workers From Extreme Heat

A mail carrier vehicle being towed (File Photo – W.K.)

On Thusrday, August 15, Rep. Judy Chu, along with 77 Members of Congress, called on the United States Postal Service (USPS) to immediately implement the nation’s first-ever federal heat rule.

By News Desk

Letter carriers have reported systemic heat illness issues, resulting in multiple deaths:

• July 6, 2018, Woodland Hills, CA: Peggy Frank died in a non-air-conditioned mail truck. The temperature hit a record-setting high of 115.
• July 22, 2020, Washington, DC: Louise Franklin died in a non-air-conditioned vehicle. The high temperature was 94 degrees, and the heat index was 104.
• June 17, 2021, San Jose, CA: Dalvir Bassi died from a heat stroke. The temperature was 94 degrees.
• June 20, 2023, Dallas, TX: Eugene Gates died when the temperature hit 98 degrees with a heat index of 116.
• June 6, 2024, Fayetteville, NC: Wendy Johnson died shortly after a shift working in an un-airconditioned vehicle in 95 degrees.

The 77 members of Congress released a letter urging USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to “choose action over delay” and save lives by implementing the federal heat protections in his workforce now. With USPS failing to protect so many of its own employees, the members lay out a simple solution: begin following the federal heat rule proposed by the Biden-Harris Administration immediately.

“As climate change drives record-breaking summer temperatures across the United States, the risk of heat-related illness and death among U.S. Postal Service letter carriers has grown more dire than ever. I thank the Biden-Harris Administration and OSHA for issuing a proposed rule, modeled after my Asuncion Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act, that will protect workers from heat. But this rule will take time to implement, and it is evident that the Postal Service must immediately take stronger measures to protect the health and well-being of its workforce,” said Rep. Chu. “USPS should immediately implement the standards in OSHA’s proposed rule on Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in both outdoor and indoor work environments. Protecting workers from high heat temperatures is crucial to prevent serious health risks.”