| Postman John Erramouspe delivers mail to Price city businesses |
A mail carrier’s job comes with a number of built-in challenges that, at times, can turn into outright hazards, according to recent report on an Internet health site.
Around the nation, postal workers routinely duel with aggressive canines, develop a variety of physical problems and face traversing walkways made treacherous by extreme weather, according to information from Caremark Health Resources.
“We would highly appreciate it if residents would shovel their walkways and clean snow off their porches,” said Helper Postmaster Moyne Cologi.
According to Cologi and Price Postmaster Mike Spencer, mail carrier safety is of the highest priority for the United States Postal Service.
“Look at it this way,” said Spencer. “If you can’t walk across your sidewalk, how is a postal worker supposed to? These conditions can create additional hazards for the carriers.”
The pedestrian deliveries aren’t the only ones that can be problematic, said the postmasters. If residents have mailboxes in driveways, they need to keep the driveways shoveled.
“If we can’t drive in to the box, its problematic,” said Spencer.
Cologi said there have been times when his carriers weren’t able to get to a box or slot because of the snow and the mail was returned to the post office.
“We hold it here for the resident to pick up,” said Cologi.
Some residents have asked why the carrier didn’t go to another door of the house and leave the mail. Cologi explained that it is not allowed to leave mail except in the actual designated mailbox or slot.
Spencer said that his carriers always deliver the mail, but that when there are daunting snow and ice conditions it takes them much longer to do their jobs.