UPS. Inc. is facing $13,260 in penalties after a worker became ill following extreme temperatures in Riviera Beach, Fla.
The employee became ill while delivering packages and needed hospitalization. The heat index ranged between 99 and 105 degrees.
“Employers must take proper precautions when employees work outdoors in excessive heat conditions, and ensure they receive prompt medical attention when exhibiting signs of heat-related illness,” said OSHA Area Director Condell Eastmond, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
The agency cited the company for failing to adequately protect workers exposed to outdoor heat hazards.
OSHA conducts training and outreach on heat-related workplace hazards every spring and summer. OSHA’s occupational heat exposure page provides information on establishing a heat illness prevention program, a video on protecting workers from heat illness, and resources with other suggested best practices. The OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool app is a free resource that calculates a worksite’s heat index and displays the associated risk levels.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings.