Mass. postal worker dies on the job
Heat could be a factor
A U.S. Postal Service (USPS) letter carrier collapsed and died in Medford, Massachusetts July 8 after texting his wife to complian about the heat.
News sources report that 45-year James Baldassarre, who died after being transported to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, had sent a number of messages to his wife in which he mentioned the excessive heat.
The National Weather Service reported the peak temperature that day at 95 degrees.
OSHA and the USPS service are both investigating the circumstances of Baldassarre’s death.
The Massachusetts Coalition for Safety and Health said the fatality highlights the need for OSHA to enact a federal standard to protect workers from heat-related illnesses.
“The standard should include mandatory rest breaks and access to sufficient water and shade,” said Marcy Goldstein-Gelb, the organization's executive director.
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