Heat stress illness among United States Postal Service employees in Las Vegas has resulted in a $129,336 fine against the USPS.

An OSHA investigation revealed that at least four USPS employees at the Silverado Station branch in Las Vegas received treatment for heat-related illness this year, including one hospitalization. OSHA cited the USPS for failing to protect letter carriers working in extreme heat, lacking sufficient heat control measures, and having inadequate procedures for contacting supervisors when employees experience heat-related symptoms.

"The dangers of working in high-heat conditions are well-known," said OSHA Area Director Eric Brooks, in Las Vegas. "OSHA has cited the U.S. Postal Service repeatedly for failing to provide employees with a workplace free of recognized hazards. Employers whose employees work outdoors in heat are responsible for ensuring work practices include sufficient water, rest, and shade when hazardous conditions exist."

A USPS mail carrier in Los Angeles died on the job in June 2018, during a heat wave in which the temperature reached 117 degrees.