Postal service blamed after worker’s arm amputated in NC safety incident, feds say
A postal worker’s arm was amputated after an incident at a North Carolina mail center that’s accused of recurring safety violations, federal officials said.
A mechanic at a distribution center in Greensboro was severely injured by “a machine that had a safety guard removed” in September 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
The worker’s arm was amputated after the injury, officials said.
Months later, the U.S. Postal Service faces $170,918 in possible fines. The labor department said it conducted an investigation into the injury and found the Greensboro workplace had “repeat and serious safety violations, including failure to ensure that safety guards were in place as required and allowing conveyor guards to be routinely removed, leaving workers at risk of injuries.”
In response to McClatchy News’ request for comment, USPS said it “places the safety and well-being of its employees as a top priority.”
“The Postal Service recently received a citation from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration related to the incident that occurred at the Postal Service’s Greensboro NDC in September 2021 and the citation is currently under review,” USPS said March 14 in an emailed statement. “The Postal Service’s investigation into this matter remains open. As such, the Postal Service has no further comment at this point.”
The Greensboro USPS center is described in the news release as a “bulk mail processing and distribution center where a programmable network of heavy conveyor lines and other systems handles packages for delivery.”
The facility is accused of failing to show employees how to work near conveyors or properly disable equipment. Workers also didn’t have proper training or protective gear when they performed “tests on live electrical equipment,” the labor department said.
“The U.S. Postal Service ignored long-established safety standards and put workers at risk,” Kimberley Morton, Raleigh area director for the labor department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), said in a March 11 news release. “The USPS has an obligation to eliminate hazards to ensure safe working conditions and prevent another worker from suffering a tragic and life-altering injury.”
Within 15 days of receiving the citations and penalties, USPS must comply. Otherwise, the postal service can dispute the allegations or meet with an OSHA representative, according to officials.
This story was originally published March 13, 2022 at 3:11 PM with the headline "Postal service blamed after worker’s arm amputated in NC safety incident, feds say."
