A Texas UPS driver died just days after working in temperatures upward of 100 degrees.
Christopher Begley, 57, was delivering packages for UPS in the McKinney area of north Texas on Aug. 23 when he collapsed at a customer’s location.
Mr. Begley called UPS and reported his condition. The company responded, giving him water and offering medical attention, which he declined.
On Sunday he checked into a hospital and died that day.
“We train our people to recognize the symptoms of heat stress,” the company said in a statement. “And we respond immediately to any request for help.”
UPS said Bagley was given the rest of the day off and was offered the next few days free to recover. The cause of death has not been determined.
Bagley’s death comes weeks after the Teamsters Union secured a historic contract with UPS that ensured more delivery trucks would be outfitted with air conditioning. The heat inside UPS vans can reach above 100 degrees, especially in the back of the truck, where drivers spend a large portion of their workday.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
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