OSHA Inspection: UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE

Issued

Jan 19, 2017

Abate by

Mar 8, 2017

Penalty

Initial $69,713 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to recognized hazards related to working outside during periods of excessive heat:  a.) On July 27, 2016, at job sites located on mail routes in Parkersburg, West Virginia, with an afternoon heat index of 94 degrees Fahrenheit, the employer exposed employees to the recognized hazard of excessive heat during mail delivery.  Beginning at approximately 10:00a.m., a city carrier assistant began delivering mail on a park and loop mail delivery route.  The employee would park an enclosed Postal Service Truck (LLV) without air conditioning, and walk a mail delivery route in a loop back to the truck.  The delivery route on foot was somewhat flat but did have some hills and was mostly in the direct sunlight.   In the afternoon the employee began to have signs and symptoms of heat stress.  At approximately 2:30p.m. the employee went to the hospital where he was diagnosed with heat related illness.  The United States Postal Service, was previously cited for a willful violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 538158, Citation 01, Item number 001 and was affirmed as a final order on 10/24/14, with respect to a workplace located at job sites on mail routes in Independence, Missouri.