WASHINGTON — More than two years after a Dallas postal worker died from heat exposure on the job, letter carriers say the United States Postal Service has yet to take steps required to fully protect them when the temperature and humidity soar.
The 2023 death of Eugene Gates Jr. prompted a federal citation and $15,625 fine against the Postal Service, along with renewed calls from union leaders and lawmakers for stronger heat-safety standards.
Carla Gates said her husband’s death still hangs over their home and has driven her call for stronger heat protections so other workers are not exposed to a workplace “death trap.”
The Postal Service contested the Occupational Safety and Health Administration citation and is negotiating a settlement. Kimetra Lewis, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Lone Star Branch 132, hopes any resolution includes a commitment to real action.
