As blistering heat waves swept across the United States this summer, breaking temperature records and placing millions under heat advisories and warnings, workers have continued to deliver America’s packages for a variety of carriers, often in trucks that have no cooling mechanisms for drivers, DNYUZ reports. Some UPS workers have shared photographs that show thermometer readings of up to 150 degrees in the backs of their trucks.
Now, a string of heat-related illnesses among the drivers has renewed calls to improve their working conditions. “They’re vomiting, their bodies are shutting down,” said Dave Reeves, the president of Local 767, a Texas local of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents 350,000 UPS workers across the country. He added, “It’s awful.”
Dozens of workers for other delivery companies, including FedEx, have also suffered from heat exhaustion, according to records, and a handful of drivers have also died in the past few years. According to the Teamsters, heat-related injuries, illnesses and deaths among drivers are severely underreported. Read more at DNYUZ.
{Matzav.com}
Their trucks don’t even have air-condition.
It’s obvious and is a disgrace. Looking at those trucks (UPS, USPS, & FedEx) they have no insulation, no air conditioning, and are moving with open doors so the drivers can get in and out easily. Even with the doors closed, they are basically simple sliding doors and have no proper sealing capabilities. The drivers are out on the street quite a lot, and have to go in back of their trucks all the times. We all know how hot a standing car can get in minutes – we’ve all seen and heard the dire warnings about leaving children (and animals) in a standing car.
Be nice to your postal/package delivery person. Especially on a hot day. Offer them a cold drink. They’ll be more than thankful and you may actually save a life.