Dallas postal worker collapses, dies while on the job

DALLAS - A Dallas letter carrier died over the weekend while on the job.

The death of 51-year-old Jacob Taylor comes just two years after Eugene Gates, another letter carrier, died of heat exhaustion.

Dallas Letter Carrier Death

What we know:

A union representative told FOX 4 that Taylor collapsed while working in the Dallas Medical District this past Saturday. He later died at the hospital. 

While it’s still not yet clear if the heat was a factor, the high on Saturday was 94 degrees.

And so, Taylor’s death was mentioned by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) on Tuesday during a congressional hearing on safety protections for postal workers.

"While the circumstances of his death are still under review, it's, of course, a heartbreaking loss. It serves once again as another jarring reminder. Of the on-the-job hazards that letter carriers face every day, such as crime, assaults, extreme heat, and dealing with problems with infrastructure, such as outdated postal vehicles and other factors," said NALC President Brian Renfroe.

Kimetra Lewis, the president of the local NALC branch, didn’t know Taylor personally but had to inform his station of his death on Monday.

She said Taylor had been with the United States Postal Service (USPS) for 28 years and was filling in for a co-worker when he collapsed.

What we don't know:

Taylor’s autopsy results are still pending, so his cause of death is still unknown.

What they're saying:

"This incident remains under investigation by the Postal Service, and we do not have any comment at this time," USPS said in a statement.

Taylor’s family shared his photos but asked the media for privacy. They said his funeral will be later this week.

Lewis is hoping Taylor’s death wasn’t heat-related because she believes it would scare other workers who remember Eugene Gates’ death two years ago.

"When tragedies happen, you don’t expect them to repeat themselves," she said.

Eugene Gates' 2023 Death

The backstory:

Eugene Gates Jr. was a letter carrier who worked for the USPS for nearly 40 years.

The 66-year-old collapsed in June of 2023 while working his route in the Lakewood area of Dallas. 

It was one of the hottest afternoons of the season with heat index values well above 110 and near record humidity.

The homeowner came outside and tried to perform CPR, but it was too late. Gates later died at the hospital.

An autopsy confirmed he died from a combination of the heat and heart disease.

What they're saying:

Lewis became friends with Gates’ widow after his death.

"And when I got the news about JT, my heart went out to her because hearing about this would bring back memories for her," she said.

Dig deeper:

After Gates’ death, the USPS was fined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for failing to protect him from the extreme heat.

Lewis said the case is being appealed and is still tied up in court.

The union is now urging USPS to allow letter carriers to work earlier before the hottest part of the day.

"They did comply in allowing them to come in earlier where we filed grievances, but some when we filed grievances and prevailed, they changed it back to come in later. So, it’s a constant fight," Lewis said.

She wants workers to know it’s okay to take extra breaks because of the heat. But many feel pressured by time commitments, she said.

"If it takes you longer, it takes you longer. Give them that grace. Sometimes it happens. But a majority of time it does not," she said.

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