UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Inspection Detail

Inspection: 312667751 - United Parcel Service

Inspection Information - Office: &Nbsp;

Investigation Summary

. At approximately 4:55 p.m. on August 24, 2011, an employee with 11 years of work experience at this package delivery business was performing his normal duties. On the day prior to the accident, the maximum temperature was 97 degrees F in the afternoon. The first report of heat-related problems was made by the employee at approximately 10:00 p.m. on August 23, 2011 to his part-time supervisor. She told him to take his 20 minute break in the air-conditioned break room. Later, he again reported feeling sick to another supervisor. The employee started to feel confused and disoriented and again searched for a supervisor approximately one hour later. He located a full-time supervisor, but she was disciplining another worker. So, the employee found a union representative and told him that he needed help. The union representative assisted him to the break room, gave him a bag of ice to put on his head and neck and contacted the full-time supervisor. The union representative asked the supervisor to call the manager to transport the employee to receive treatment. At approximately 3:45 a.m., the Air Ramp Operations Manager drove the employee to the clinic in his vehicle. When the truck arrived at the clinic, the Health Care Professional evaluated the employee in the truck and determined that transport to the hospital was necessary, and called emergency medical services. The employee was hospitalized and treated for heat exhaustion. The causal factor was heat exposure while working indoors; a contributing factor was the behavior of supervisors and managers as they repeatedly failed to follow the steps for responding to Heat Illness Symptoms as outlined in their written procedures.

Keywords:heat, heat exhaustion