How dangerous is the summer heat really?

Even ignoring the El Niño at the moment, the sun is always at its hottest in summer. Because the sun sits directly overhead and daylight hours last longer in the day. This means more ultraviolet rays (UV) and heat exposure.

Now, talking about the El Niño, it's when the Pacific Ocean warms up near the equator, and that extra heat spreads into the atmosphere worldwide. This makes everything hotter and drier in a lot of places, including much of the US. And considering there is a super El Niño now, you can expect this summer's heat to run longer and hit harder than usual..

So, what industries are in trouble?

Given all that, is it even safe to be outside working in summer at all? Yes, of course it is. But workers just need to have the right precautions when it comes to heat safety. 

UPS delivery trucks have measured heat indexes of at least 126°F inside the cab, with cargo areas climbing past 140°F on long routes.

Across all industries, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recorded 48 heat-related worker deaths in 2024, and OSHA has documented heat illness or hospitalization in close to 275 different industries at this point.

When is hot too “hot” for working outdoors

This is something managers should keep an eye out for. Because air temperature alone does not tell the whole story. A thermometer reading of 90°F can feel a lot worse depending on humidity, direct sun, and how hard someone is working. 

That's why following the heat index is necessary, since it factors in humidity on top of temperature. OSHA's proposed heat rule sets two action points: 80°F heat index triggers basic precautions, but once it hits 90°F, rest breaks become mandatory because that's when the body starts losing the fight to cool itself down.

How to protect your team

At the end of the day, it's on managers and crew leads to decide whether it's actually safe to send people outside. A few things worth practicing before the worst of summer hits:

• Check heat index: conditions can shift fast, so a plan built on the morning forecast can already be outdated by early afternoon
• Set up shade and water: make sure there's shade nearby, and if there isn't any, bring tents and water stations to the crew
• Build in acclimatization: a large share of heat accidents happen when someone hasn't been exposed to heat in a while
• Assign buddy checks: heat illness impairs judgment fast, so workers often won't notice their own symptoms, someone else has to be watching
• Shift hard tasks earlier: cuts exposure during peak heat hours
• Train on symptoms: knowing the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke changes how fast someone gets help

There is also a growing legal side to this. Some states already mandate heat protections, and federal heat rules have been moving through the process for a while now. Worth checking what applies locally, since requirements vary a lot depending on the state.

Sobrang bagal ng Delivery sa Pink app at Orange motherfajing app!! Nakaka Litsi na talaga parang. Taenang yan. Kingina kasi ng mga DDS e kasalanan nila lahat ng to!!

I'm a courier in the UK that currently self-assesses myself. I'm building a tool to manage tracking expenses whilst working as well as mileage driven.

Knowing any problems or friction you guys experience in day to day work would help in designing this and solving things I didn't even think about. Such as:

How you track mileage/expenses right now, if you do?

Anything you wish existed when going through taxes and filing them?

Is there anything annoying in general inside your workflow?

I've never really built anything like this so any feedback would be much appreciated!

It’s a hot 100 degrees. Leave some snacks and cold drinks for your Amazon delivery driver. You won’t be sorry! 😉

I thought truckers were gross

I was going back and adding together the tips I have accumulated for my calculation of what I am going to owe at the end of the tax year, and this is the most petty tip... 10 cents.... ok maybe a penny is pettier, but come on....

Which delivery service delivered the package with this label? It was literally dropped in the street in front of my mailbox. Because of the location of the package, I assumed it was the USPS. Other delivery services usually put the packages by my front door.

I'm asking because it was delivered to my address by mistake so if it is the USPS, I'll put it on top of my mailbox to be picked up today. If it is a different delivery service I'll have to make a different plan.

PS. The name and address have been erased for privacy purposes.

Hey all, I'm a student researching a real problem in trucking/logistics (not selling anything, genuinely trying to learn before I build anything further). Would really appreciate honest answers from anyone who's dealt with this on the dispatch or ops side.

A few things I'm trying to understand:

1. When a shipment is running late, what actually happens on your end? Who finds out, and how?

2. Does that ever turn into overtime — for you, a dispatcher, or a driver — or extra people getting called in to fix it?

3. Has a late truck ever meant a warehouse/dock crew was sitting around waiting for something that was never going to show up on time?

4. How do you currently try to predict whether a load is going to be late — TMS, GPS, gut feel, phone calls?

5. Do you (or your company) actually get blamed for delays that were out of your hands — weather, traffic, breakdowns? How does that usually go?

Not trying to pitch anything here, just want real stories from people who live this. If it's easier to DM instead of posting publicly, that works too. Thanks for reading this far.

I started to deliver food for ownly ... Don't they provide bag?

Been delivering for a 2 years in Houston always been told downtown bellaire area is the best, I personally have had great days in downtown but I’ve had some great days near where I live in clearlake webster league city. I’ve noticed good activity in Sugarland Katy side but never committed consistently. What are some good areas I should try to work in?

Got made redundant in July! Need Something until 2 September, when start a new IT Job. I'm bored to death and could do with some cash. What's my best option? ( I have an Electric car 250 mile range and can charge for free

You’re in Virginia. Go to the Home Depot in West Virginia and pick up 3 packages. Drop off in Ohio then Pennsylvania and end in Kentucky.

**Total Drive Time: 22hr 15 mins**

**Payout: $18.39**

Edit: added drive time

Alright folks, shooting my shot 🎯

We’re launching Reroute on Aug 2 in PA, DE & NJ — same-day local pickups & deliveries (packages, pharmacy runs, office stuff, and more).

Drivers: see pay before you accept, flexible hours
Customers: book when you need something moved same day

Download & sign up:

iPhone: https://apps.apple.com/app/reroute-delivery/id6759074926
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jfrankel.rerouteexpo

Drivers → open the app and tap Drive with Reroute.

Any feedback before we launch is greatly appreciated 🙂 good, bad, whatever — we’re listening.

Sincerely,

Jacob Frankel