![]() ![]() Cleaning and general maintenance and repairs” and “concerns for health, safety and security.” “The Postal Service must improve adherence to building maintenance, safety, and security standards, and employee working condition requirements at its retail facility. According to a report provided by The Daily Caller: are possibly exposing workers to toxins, including asbestos. In 2016, watchdogs for the government revealed that several post offices across the U.S. Government Watchdog Group Exposes Asbestos at Post Offices NIOSH recognized the potential risk to workers and recommended measures to reduce the potential harm to workers. NIOSH tested air samples at the facility and did not find troubling or dangerous levels of asbestos fibers. The workers might have been exposed to asbestos in conveyor belt parts. ![]() The concern came after five maintenance workers were diagnosed with cancer. The USPS was concerned about potential asbestos exposure at the Washington Bulk Mail Center. The USPS requested an evaluation by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) on May 4, 1981. Postal Service indicated concerns about asbestos exposure as early as 1981. Early Warnings of Asbestos in Postal Workplaces If post office facilities aren’t maintained properly, the older offices may present asbestos exposure, not only to workers but also to guests who come to the post offices to pick up mail or drop off a package.Īsbestos exposure is the leading cause of toxic illnesses such as malignant mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer. Several post offices constructed with asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are still in use. ![]() Yet, most post offices built before the EPA’s regulations remain open today. Most job sites, including post offices, phased out asbestos use. In 1979, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed strict regulations on asbestos use at job sites. EPA Regulations and Post Office Buildings Any workers who handled repairs or maintenance work on vehicles risked asbestos exposure. Postal vehicles also contained asbestos in clutches, brakes, and potentially other components. Workers who used or maintained this equipment risked exposure. Asbestos was used to reduce overheating from friction. ![]() The electric motors used to propel conveyor belts in postal facilities contained asbestos materials in the brakes. Asbestos construction materials can release harmful fibers as they deteriorate, when damaged, or when disturbed by repairs or renovation work.Īnother source of exposure is the machinery workers use to sort mail. Asbestos was commonly found in insulation, floor and ceiling tiles, roofing materials, and more.Įven if postal workers never handled these materials, they could cause exposure. However, some postal workers are exposed to asbestos through materials in older postal buildings and postal vehicles.īefore the 1980s, most buildings were constructed with asbestos in numerous materials. United States Postal Service (USPS) workers are not routinely exposed to asbestos. How Are Postal Workers Exposed to Asbestos? ![]()
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