UPS employee falls ill due to extreme heat

[toonertoo]

So sorry, thats what I said, sometimes your body just says I aint sucking it up no more. Welcome to the brown cafe!
And the new UPS.

 

[WEST CHESTER_PA Hardworkr]

Gotta Love when they cut the spilt route and dispatch you 11hrs work on a 110' day with 100% humidity and expect you to be safe, after the first 2 gallons of water/gatoraid I borrowed the old ladys minivan. - ER or AC.....

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Gotta Love when they cut the spilt route and dispatch you 11hrs work on a 110' day with 100% humidity and expect you to be safe, after the first 2 gallons of water/gatoraid I borrowed the old ladys minivan. - ER or AC.....

Yeah....right....

 

[UPSgirl2002]

I have worked for UPS unloading for 10 years.. I've never been looked at as lazy or a slacker or one to avoid work. (some issues with attendance over the years but never lazy or selfish more of the one to use to get **** done!) I use to love unloading .. felt like a superstar at work .. Over the last year it has changed drastically. I had heat illness a lil over a year ago and ever since my body just cant handle the heat at all anymore. No matter how much water I drink I cant seem to cool down once I get hot.. and in the back of a long trailer with no air flow makes me want to die. If there is anything near what hell feels like that's it. Migraine headaches.. Weak... and in the past couple months High Blood Pressure Problems bad. Missing all kinds of work.. scared to go to work when I'm leaving my house and my blood pressure is 160-170/130-110 cant imagine what it gets to while I'm working in the heat in hot trailers and within the hour my brains feel like they are boiling and trying to come out through my eye sockets.
So not being one who ever uses salt on anything .. I cut out soda.. energy drinks no more coffee and yep no more Gatoraid all I drink is water. Now I take bp meds but not much change .. so doc changes meds.. after a few days feeling a little better ... but eventually within the week usually.. I'm back to feeling miserable in the heat .. body not cooling down.. going home nightly with headache and nausia and head feeling so hot could burn ya if ya touched it..

would fans help in the trailers.. ?? yes.. am I getting older? yes... is it time after ten years of unloading to maybe consider something else? yes..
But ... but...will management help that employee to another position or shift? and when so much work has been missed by the employee over the last 6months is it even possible..?

Heat and working conditions effect each of us individually ... some of us work harder then others..Could upper management pay more attention? yes

(sometimes I feel like a hamster in one of those clear balls ... being pushed by some bratty kid and I just cant run anymore.. little hamster feet bleeding and bratt dont notice.. eventually hamster will die)

 

[Returntosender]

Maybe your going to through menopause? Could explain your sudden onset of heat strokes.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

I have worked for UPS unloading for 10 years.. I've never been looked at as lazy or a slacker or one to avoid work. (some issues with attendance over the years but never lazy or selfish more of the one to use to get **** done!) I use to love unloading .. felt like a superstar at work .. Over the last year it has changed drastically. I had heat illness a lil over a year ago and ever since my body just cant handle the heat at all anymore. No matter how much water I drink I cant seem to cool down once I get hot.. and in the back of a long trailer with no air flow makes me want to die. If there is anything near what hell feels like that's it. Migraine headaches.. Weak... and in the past couple months High Blood Pressure Problems bad. Missing all kinds of work.. scared to go to work when I'm leaving my house and my blood pressure is 160-170/130-110 cant imagine what it gets to while I'm working in the heat in hot trailers and within the hour my brains feel like they are boiling and trying to come out through my eye sockets.
So not being one who ever uses salt on anything .. I cut out soda.. energy drinks no more coffee and yep no more Gatoraid all I drink is water. Now I take bp meds but not much change .. so doc changes meds.. after a few days feeling a little better ... but eventually within the week usually.. I'm back to feeling miserable in the heat .. body not cooling down.. going home nightly with headache and nausia and head feeling so hot could burn ya if ya touched it..

would fans help in the trailers.. ?? yes.. am I getting older? yes... is it time after ten years of unloading to maybe consider something else? yes..
But ... but...will management help that employee to another position or shift? and when so much work has been missed by the employee over the last 6months is it even possible..?

Heat and working conditions effect each of us individually ... some of us work harder then others..Could upper management pay more attention? yes

(sometimes I feel like a hamster in one of those clear balls ... being pushed by some bratty kid and I just cant run anymore.. little hamster feet bleeding and bratt dont notice.. eventually hamster will die)

I'm sorry to say, but UPS doesn't care about us. They will let someone die in the trailer or package car, and I've seen it happen.

What you may want to do is go "around" UPS for accommodations. There are plenty of avenues to do so. That's my best advice. UPS wants to be "in control" of every second of your working day and that the employee has zero say as it suits them best. Only if you believe that, they are and do.

On 7/27/10 I suffered heat exhaustion and also had an awful hip strain simultaneously - missed over a month of work and therapy.

The in-building temperatures were over 100, which is illegal according to OSHA.

 

[ray haynes]

Bring your own fan and plug it into the nearest socket and force ups to tell you that you can't. Then when you pass out from heat exhaustion contact your union and a lawyer. Good luck