Workplace issues
Safety and Health

Manuel L. Peralta Jr.
Director of Safety and Health
Manuel L. Peralta Jr. was re-elected director of safety and health by mail balloting of NALC members in 2018. Full bio
Keeping letter carriers safe on the job
NALC’s Director of of Safety and Health is responsible for following safety and health issues that relate to letter carrier jobs. The director is Manuel L. Peralta Jr., who also represents NALC’s interests on:
- the National Joint Labor-Management Safety Committee established by Article 14, Section 3 of the National Agreement,
- the National Joint EAP Committee established by Article 35.
Letter carriers' occupational safety and health is protected by Article 14 of the National Agreement and by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act.
Contact information
Please contact Director Peralta if you have ideas, questions or concerns related to letter carrier safety and health:
NALC Director of Safety and Health Manuel L. Peralta Jr.
100 Indiana Ave. NW | Washington, DC 20001
202-662-2831 | peralta@nalc.org
Reporting a safety problem to USPS
Need to report a hazard, unsafe condition or practice? Click here to download Form PS-1767.
⚠ Coronavirus ⚠
January 24th, 2020
- USPS LINK: A January 24 article was published, highlighting tips from the CDC to prevent influenza and other contagious respiratory illnesses
February 11th, 2020
- Flu and Respiratory Health Tips: The NALC was provided the attached Newsbreak on 2/11/2020. This item is to be posted bulletin boards where employees have access to read material regularly. The NALC would recommend that this be used as material for a stand up talk to supplement the mandatory stand up talk that was issued on January 24, 2020.
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USPS LINK Video: Postmaster General Megan Brennan delivers a Coronavirus update and message to USPS employees
March 18th, 2020
March 19, 2020
- Executive VP Renfroe delivers updates on COVID-19, including the new signature capture process: Listen to the podcast
Mandatory Stand-Up Talks
The Following Stand Up Talks (SUTs) were distributed by the USPS to be held at your office:
- January 24th - Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Avoiding the Flu/Other Illnesses
- February 11th - Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Flu and respiratory diseases including novel (new) coronavirus
- March 16th - Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Customer Interactions for Carriers
- March 18th - Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Guidance on Social Gatherings
- March 18th - Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Keeping Your Vehicle Clean
- March 19th - Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on new customer signature capture process: COVID-19 Response and Prevention
- March 21st - Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on National coronavirus guidelines mailing
- March 23rd- Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on the Postal Service continuing normal operations
- March 27th - Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Government-Imposed Travel Restrictions
- March 28th: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on handling mail for temporarily closed businesses
- March 28th: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on interacting with HCR drivers during the COVID-19 pandemic
- March 30th: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Employee privacy — COVID-19
- April 1: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on NALC Food Drive postponement
- April 2: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Taking leave during COVID-19
- April 3: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on COVID-19 supplies — purchasing updates.
- April 3: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Interacting with VMF Personnel.
- April 6: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Additional CDC guidance.
- April 21: Mandatory Stand-UP Talk on Face covering and mask update
- April 23: Mandatory Stand-UP Talk on Critical infrastructure delivery
- April 30: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Handling mail for temporarily closed businesses
- May 18: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on COVID-19 test kits in the mail
- May 21: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Supplier on-site COVID-19 procedures
- May 28: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on COVID-19 test kits in the mail
- June 1: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Essential Services During COVID-19 and Recent State and Local Civil Unrest
- July 2: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Proper use of Voyager cards
- July 8: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on COVID-19 test kits in the mail
- July 27: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Hold Mail service reminders
- Aug. 20: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Face covering and mask update.
- Aug. 27: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Families First Coronavirus Response Act leave
- Oct. 14: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Customer Signature Service
- Oct. 30: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Protecting everyone’s safety and wellness
- Nov. 4: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Keeping your vehicle clean
- Nov. 17: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Protecting everyone’s safety and wellness
- Nov. 18: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Social Distancing Reminder
- Nov. 27: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on COVID-19 Symptoms and you
- Nov. 30: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Carrier Pickup – COVID-19 response and prevention
- Dec. 7: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Essential Service Provider Letter
- Dec. 7: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Essential Services Update
- Dec. 16: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Face covering and mask update
- Dec. 29: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Staying respectful
- Jan. 7, 2021: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on COVID-19 vaccine availability.
- Jan. 20, 2021: Mandatory Stand-Up Talk on Vaccine availability update
Essential Employee Section
Center of Disease Control Updates
- Dedicated CDC page for the Coronavirus
- Update: Public Health Response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak — United States, February 24, 2020
- Update: Update and Interim Guidance on Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) - February 28, 2020
Center of Disease Control Quick Reference Information
- COVID-19 Symptoms
- COVID-19 FAQ
- Stop the Spread of Germs
- Sick With COVID-19
- Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection Recommendations
- COVID-19 Video Series in American Sign Language
AFL-CIO
Employee Assistance Program
Learn more about EAP here: https://www.nalc.org/workplace-issues/safety-and-health/employee-assistance-program
Redesigned Heat Safety Tool app released
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have collaborated to update OSHA’s original Heat Safety Tool app for smartphones. Click here to learn more.
Current heat index
Click here to get your current heat index from The Weather Channel—and bookmark that page for future reference.
Water. Rest. Shade.
OSHA’s campaign to keep workers safe in the heat
Defense against CARE-related action(s)
Click here to download a letter to NALC President Fredric Rolando (USPS3959) that letter carriers can use in defending against any action taken against them based on information acquired through the Counseling At-Risk Employees (CARE) program. The letter is highlighted for your convenience. (Click here to download and review the distributed, non-highlighted version.)
Zika virus
- Zika Virus Transmission and Treatment: Special Zika Virus Newsletter—May 16, 2017
- Surgeon General: White House response to Zika virus.
- Mandatory stand-up talk: NALC has received from the U.S. Postal Service this stand-up talk about the Zika virus along with related information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about the virus.
Click here for information on extreme weather (heat, cold, lightning, etc.)
Joint Statement on Violence and Behavior in the Workplace
Safety on the job
Vehicle safety
OSHA
- Safety And Health Main Page
- Extreme weather
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Employee Assistance Program
EAP provides confidential education, referral and counseling to help employees through personal challenges of all types, including alcoholism and drug-abuse programs.
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Potential Causes of Vehicle Fires
In August of 2016, Phillip Knoll issued a memo to the field advising of the potential causes of vehicle fires
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Safety and Health resources
Safety & Health columns in The Postal Record, by topic. Reference materials. Resources.
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Zika virus
OSHA and NIOSH are monitoring the Zika virus. Some U.S. states have mosquitoes that can become infected with and spread Zika virus, and travel-associated Zika virus infections in U.S. states may result in local spread of the virus.
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Statutory requirement to review and post OSHA Form 300A summary for the calendar year
From Feb. 1 through April 30, USPS installations are required to post a copy of OSHA Form 300A in a conspicuous place at every establishment where employees work or report to work.
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Enforcing heat safety rules
Here are some resources for enforcement of heat safety rules.
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Suspicious mail
This Mandatory Safety Talk was provided to the NALC. National business agents have been asked to distribute the information to all branch contacts and to follow up to make sure that the mandatory talks are in fact given.
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Suspicious powder exercises
The Postal Service has issued “Tabletop Exercise Guides” and a checklist to ensure that a consistent and reasoned response is followed when suspicious powder is found in the mail.
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Chemical and biological hazards
BDS (biohazard detection system), designed exclusively for the Postal Service, uses sophisticated DNA matching to detect the presence of anthrax in the mail. It will continuously test air samples from mail canceling equipment.
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Ebola and West Nile virus
Standup talks and talking points about Ebola and West Nile virus.
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LLV mirror modification
In 2009, USPS announced Vehicle Modification Order requiring the "Repositioning of the LLV Right Side Mirrors." The NALC-USPS Safety Task Force met in 2011 and it was decided that the modification would be returned to the original configuration.