A union representing UPS workers in Texas reports that a driver collapsed behind the wheel of a company truck in McKinney, Texas last week due to a heat-related illness.
Teamsters Local 767 stated that the driver survived the crash and has been discharged from the hospital.
“The union posted on Facebook, “The company prioritizes packages over the well-being of its employees.” This marks the third incident at the McKinney location alone. The company can’t be relied upon to prioritize the health and safety of its workers.”
Temperatures in McKinney reached a high of 101 degrees on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
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In 2023, UPS reached an agreement with Teamsters to include air conditioning in all newly purchased small package delivery vehicles starting in 2024. This was seen as a major victory for UPS drivers. A change.org petition launched in 2018 garnered over a million signatures demanding that UPS install air conditioning in delivery trucks.
UPS also agreed to implement other measures to help drivers in vehicles without air conditioning stay cool. The company announced last year that it would install additional cab fans in non-air-conditioned vehicles. Exhaust heat shields and a new intake system that brings in fresh outside air would also be added to existing vehicles.
In 2019, UPS was fined $13,260 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration after an employee suffered heat-related injuries near its Riviera Beach, Florida facility. OSHA reported that the driver fell ill when the heat index surpassed 99 degrees.
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Last week’s incident comes almost a year after a Texas man allegedly died from extreme heat while driving a UPS truck. Neysa Lambeth, the widow of Chris Begley, told KTVT-TV that little has changed in the past year.
Lambeth expressed her disappointment, stating, “I spent the entire day yesterday in tears. I couldn’t believe it was happening again.” She added, “I’ve received feedback from some drivers indicating that nothing has changed. It must change because these individuals are losing their lives, and families are going through what I experienced in the past year, and it’s devastating.”
Scripps News has reached out to UPS for a response and is awaiting feedback.
