UPS drivers are sharing the insane temperatures that they work in every day, showing readings in some trucks far above 100F (38C).
On Tuesday, Teamsters for a Democratic Union tweeted images of thermometers in UPS trucks showing readings between 116F (47C) and 121F (49C).
“UPS CEOs would never accept working in 120 or 130-degree offices. Drivers shouldn’t have to either”, the group within the union representing UPS drivers wrote on the social media platform.
UPS driver Elliot Lewis asked: “Why is @UPS refusing to install fans in our trucks?”
“Drivers are getting heatstroke and dying. UPS refuses to install A/C or fans while putting cameras in trucks”, he added.
Mr Lewis included a photo of a “driver vehicle inspection report” on which a request to install a fan had been denied because it was a “corporate decision”.
The driver also included a screenshot of an agreement between the Teamsters Union and UPS that “the parties agree that a package car driver requesting fan shall make such a request through the local Safety and Health Committee for approval. Any disputes over installation of a fan shall be referred directly to the Co-Chairs of the National Safety and Health Committee for resolution. Such request shall not unreasonably be denied”.
The family of a 24-year-old UPS driver who died in June after he collapsed in Los Angeles as he delivered packages believe the cause of death was heatstroke, according to The Guardian.
Later that same month, a Scottsdale, Arizona, homeowner released doorbell video footage of a UPS driver collapsing in front of his door as he delivered a package in 110F (43C) heat.
The driver in the footage hasn’t been identified. He was later seen getting up and walking back to his truck.
UPS said in a statement at the time that the driver was okay and a company spokesperson added to The Independent on Wednesday that drivers “are trained to work outdoors and for the effects of hot weather”.
“The health and safety of our employees is our highest priority”, UPS said. “Preparation, rest, hydration and maintaining good health practices are key to working outdoors. UPS invests more than $260m annually to implement programs focused on safety, including working in hot weather.”
Several US states have seen temperatures above 100F (38C) this summer, mostly in the south and west. Four deaths in the Pacific Northwest are being investigated for possible connections to the heat following last week’s skyrocketing temperatures in the area, and more than 100 million Americans have faced several heat warnings this summer, The Guardian noted.
Experts have repeatedly warned that the situation will get significantly worse unless it’s properly addressed, with heatwaves being longer and more intense.
Teamsters tweeted a list of demands last month, saying that UPS has shared “no scientific evidence that air conditioning” in its trucks “would be ineffective”.
The union added that federal guidelines “clearly recommend such cooling is in fact an effective means for employers to mitigate the risk of heat illness on the job”.
Teamsters said every truck should have fans. At this time, a request has to be made and drivers then have to “endure a process” before installation takes place, according to the union.
UPS could also install ice machines, water, cold neck towels, and adapt their uniforms to perform better in the heat. Teamsters added that more drivers should be hired to free up time for current drivers to focus on rest and hydration.
Teamsters general president Sean O’Brien said in a statement last month that “by refusing to implement these safety measures, the company is literally sending drivers out to die in the heat”.
On Wednesday, UPS told The Independent that “our package delivery vehicles make frequent stops, which requires the engine to be turned off and the doors to be opened and closed, about 130 times a day on average. We have studied heat mitigation with our vehicles and integrated forced air systems with venting to create air flow around the driver and cargo areas. We optimize the roof of vehicles to minimize heat in the cargo area, alongside insulating the roof of the cab. We also offer fans to drivers upon request”.
The Teamsters union began campaigning for a better agreement with the company on Monday. The current contract between UPS and the union ends next August. Drivers are hoping to get better working conditions as well as a rise in pay.
UPS also noted in the email to The Independent that they “have a program that was developed with input from experts in the field of occupational health and safety that focuses on educating employees about hydration along with nutrition and proper sleep before working in hotter temperatures”.
“We have morning meetings with drivers all year round, reminding them of forecasted temperatures and encouraging them to be aware of their own health conditions. In the summer, in addition to providing water and ice for employees, we provide regular heat illness and injury prevention training to all operations managers and drivers”, the spokesperson added.
