Prevent accidents while parked
As Director of Safety and Health Peralta discussed in his column in the April edition of The Postal Record, there is growing concern nationwide over letter carriers exercising proper caution while delivering mail on their routes.

Recently, as a result of our joint efforts, the Postal Service held a stand-up talk on this very topic.

Click here to read USPS's "Hot Topic" on preventing accidents while parked.

If this stand-up talk was not given at your work location, please contact your branch officers or, if necessary, your national business agent.

LLV Mirror Modification
On August 1, 2009, the USPS announced Vehicle Modification Order (VMO-01-09) requiring the "Repositioning of the LLV Right Side Mirrors." The directive had not been brought to the attention of the NALC and we were concerned that it may have been a short-sighted decision.

Then-Director of Safety and Health Brian Hellman brought this issue to the attention of the NALC-USPS Safety Task Force to have them address this development. The NALC was represented on this task force by Mike Gorham, Branch 34, Boston, MA; Tom Gates, Branch 916, Eugene OR; and John Foley of Branch 358, Northeastern NY; along with Co-Chair Judy Willoughby, NBA NALC Region 9. The task force elected a method for evaluating this modification and had surveys conducted.

In 2011, the Task Force met to discuss the results of the survey and it was decided that the modification would be returned to the original configuration.

In a December 14, 2011 Memo, the USPS issued the following directive:

VMO-01-09, Repositioning of LLV Right Side Mirrors (8/1/2009 edition), is cleared for obsoletion on 12/12/2011.

Our committee was advised that the modification should be undone when the vehicle is next serviced. If you have any questions on this matter, please contact your national business agent.

Security measures in place to safeguard you and the mail
March 18, 2011: The following stand-up talk, concerning security measures in place to safeguard you and the mail, was to have been held nationwide this week. It is posted here for your information:

Due to recent news reports regarding nuclear events in Japan, we want to remind you that there are existing procedures in place to ensure that the mail does not pose a threat to our employees or the American public.

Postal Inspectors, Postal Police Officers and Customs and Border Protection Officers work together closely every day of the year to ensure that international mail is safe.

Customs and Border Protection officers have direct responsibility for monitoring incoming international mail to ensure that it does not present a health risk and is safe for processing.

Please also be aware that the air is continually being monitored for radiation levels by several federal agencies, including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission sees no radiation at harmful levels reaching the United States from damaged Japanese nuclear power plants.

If monitoring of the mail or air does result in any concerns, appropriate emergency response plans will be activated.

For up-to-date health and safety information, please visit www.hhs.gov or www.cdc.gov.

EAP website for postal employees
Magellan Behavioral Health, the contractor providing the Postal Service with Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) services, has created a free, informative, new website for postal employees. Letter carriers may join the site by surfing to EAP4you.com, clicking "New User," entering 800-327-4968 and registering with an anonymous user name and password.

The site contains a huge storehouse of up-to-date health and wellness information on everything from coping with workplace stress, to child and elder care, to time and money management, to learning the warning signs of substance abuse. It also offers an "ask the expert" section for customized advice, anonymous self-screening tools for such problems as depression and alcohol abuse, and a wealth of links to Internet resources on all things related to personal or family health.

Safety and Health topics

Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Information about letter carrier benefits under the program

Joint Statement on Violence: The 1992 Joint Statement on Violence and Behavior in the Workplace, the Snow Award and more

OSHA page: The Occupational Safety and Health Act, letter carrier rights under the law, the federal regulations and regional OSHA offices

National Threat Level: The Postal Service implements protective measures in accordance with the current national threat level

Emergency Notification Plan for Off-Site Employees: A basic notification plan for off-site employees, including letter carriers

Beat the heat! Know the signs of heat illness

USPS Biohazard Detection System: BDS system testing and implementation explained

Pandemic influenza: The White House and the Homeland Security Council have released a National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza.

SARS: Information on Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome; includes symptoms and links to health organizations monitoring the disease

West Nile virus: Information on the virus; symptoms listed

Suspicious powder exercises: Exercise guides and a checklist to ensure a consistent and reasoned response when suspicious powder is found in the mail

Dog-bite dangers: Links to other online resources

Heart-attack symptoms: Basic facts on heart disease; warning signs of impending problems

Hypothermia: OSHA has issued a cold stress card providing workplace guidance for workers who spend time outdoors or in unheated environments.

District Safety Committees: A pilot program involving the establishment of DSCs is expanded under a new MOU

Materials: USPS Publications related to safety & health, OSHA

Useful Links: Links to other online resources