Spurt of Deaths at Postal Facility Has Employees Worried About Poison in the Air

Anxiety is running high at a U.S. Postal Service facility in Michigan in which five employees have passed away in a 14-month period, and an auditor has found the agency is not properly measuring poisonous gas in the building.

The massive, 1 million square foot Metroplex Processing and Distribution Center in Pontiac, Mich., just north of Detroit, was formerly a vehicle manufacturing plant used for casting metals. The landowner selling the property to the Postal Service found through environmental studies contaminants in “multiple underground locations throughout the site.” USPS installed a gas venting system under the foundation of its building to prevent the buildup and accumulation of methane gas. It also installed a methane detection system, which was initially monitored and maintained by the vendor who installed it until the Postal Service took responsibility for it in 2014.

An investigation by the Postal Service inspector general’s office released this week found that detection system has been malfunctioning since March 2015. A third-party “industrial hygienist” hired by the Postal Service found in January, however, there were “no immediate health or safety concerns” relating to methane buildup. The colorless and odorless gas is dangerous both as it relates to inhalation and its flammability.

Ultimately, the IG did not find any connection to methane levels and the five deaths at the facility.

“We have not correlated these deaths to the safety concern at this time,” the IG said in its alert to postal management, “but are continuing work in this area. However, we are reporting this issue with the methane detection system for your immediate action.”

The deaths and the report have caused deep trepidation among the employees reporting to the facility, according to labor leaders representing them. According to the audit, the methane detection system’s vendor has “repeatedly” recommended the Postal Service address methane buildup in the facility. The vendor suggested the agency create a ventilation system that releases methane gas into the atmosphere to ensure the gas does not build up in the building.

“There’s a lot of concern,” said Marlon Harris, vice president of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union local 307, which represents the state of Michigan. “People are scared.”

While the USPS-hired contractor detected no safety concerns with regard to the methane levels, Harris said employees are complaining of headaches and excessive coughing, and are worried about what that means. The mail handlers union worked with the American Postal Workers Union to bring the situation to the attention of the inspector general.

Roscoe Woods, president of the APWU local representing some Metroplex employees, said the Postal Service should continue to root out any workplace hazards.

“Until we are reassured the system is functioning 100 percent correctly, we still have concerns,” Woods said.

Postal management has agreed the methane detection system is in need of repair and has promised to take the necessary steps to ensure it is functioning properly by May 31. It has also vowed to establish a contract to hire a vendor to oversee the system and conduct independent testing of the methane levels by Oct. 31.

Both Harris and Woods said the Postal Service should conduct air testing to ensure the methane levels are safe. And even if those do not show any problems, they said, the employees deserve answers on the outburst of death.

“If it ain’t the methane,” Woods said, “we need to look at the entire workplace.”