Hot enough for you? Maybe not yet, but it will be soon.
This is why the Postal Service introduced a mandatory training course, Heat Stress Recognition and Prevention.
All employees must complete the course in HERO by March 18.
Knowing the signs of heat illness is important for everyone, but it is imperative for postal workers, so many of whom brave the elements each day.
The Postal Service’s Heat Illness Prevention Program, or HIPP, is designed to ensure that employees are educated about, and protected from, all heat-related ailments. These range in severity from the merely unpleasant, such as heat rash, to heatstroke, which can be fatal.
HIPP is triggered any time a heat index value of 80 degrees Fahrenheit or higher is expected for more than six hours of a work shift. USPS relies on data from the National Weather Service to make the determination.
A heat safety awareness poster is available for all facilities to download on Blue, as is a graphic that explains symptoms, first aid treatments and when to call 911.
Facility managers or their designees can order heat safety posters, vehicle stickers and badge cards from the Topeka, KS, Material Distribution Center eBuyPlus catalog.
