A postal worker died Saturday while working in the Dallas area
Jacob Taylor, 51, was pronounced dead around 5:30 p.m., and the cause of death is pending, according to the Dallas County Medical Examiner. It鈥檚 not clear if Taylor鈥檚 death was heat related. Saturday鈥檚 temperatures
Taylor鈥檚 death is currently under investigation, a USPS spokesperson told 四虎影院 Thursday.
鈥淭he Postal Service is deeply saddened by the loss of life suffered recently involving a Dallas Letter Carrier,鈥� USPS said. 鈥淥ur thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues at this time. This incident remains under investigation by the Postal Service, and we do not have any further comment at this time.鈥�
Brian Renfroe, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers testified before Congress earlier this week, where he began his testimony by honoring Taylor before emphasizing the job hazards letter carriers face, including extreme heat and crime.
Renfroe called for more protections for USPS workers.
鈥淭he mail cannot be protected if the people who deliver it are not safe,鈥� Renfroe said. 鈥淲hen postal workers are safe, whether from heat, crime, or anything else, the Postal Service is stronger, more efficient, more reliable and can better serve the American people.鈥�
Taylor鈥檚 death comes roughly two years after another USPS letter carrier, Eugene Gates, died while working in extreme heat. His cause of death was confirmed to be heat and heart disease. OSHA later fined USPS more than $15,000, and the incident led to calls for the Postal Service to equip its vehicles with air conditioning.
Also in 2023, a McKinney-based delivery driver died from heat exhaustion when temperatures had reached over 100 degrees.
Christopher Begley, a UPS veteran of nearly 30 years, was making deliveries in Farmersville when he passed out at a customer鈥檚 home. He was later hospitalized and died four days later.
, arguing "the autopsy report found no connection between Chris鈥檚 death and his last day of work which was several days before he became hospitalized and died from coronary conditions."
Last year, a UPS delivery driver fainted from alleged heat exhaustion and crashed his vehicle while working one afternoon when the weather had risen up to 102 degrees.
Workers and other labor union members held a rally a few days later, where they called on the company to change heat safety protocols.
Penelope Rivera is 四虎影院's breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Penelope Rivera at privera@kera.org.
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