HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

Electronic Letters to:

RESEARCH AND PRACTICE: Joni A. Mayer, Donald J. Slymen, Elizabeth J. Clapp, Latrice C. Pichon, Laura Eckhardt, Lawrence F. Eichenfield, John P. Elder, James F. Sallis, Martin A. Weinstock, April Achter, Cynthia Balderrama, Gabriel R. Galindo, and Sam S. Oh Promoting Sun Safety Among US Postal Service Letter Carriers: Impact of a 2-Year Intervention Am J Public Health 2007; 97: 559-565 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

eLetters: Submit a response to this article

Electronic letters published:

Brim hats, Sunscreen, $2 million

Stan K. Cyganik   (22 July 2007)

Brim hats, Sunscreen, $2 million 22 July 2007
Stan K. Cyganik, Letter Carrier Phoenix, AZ Send letter to journal: Re: Brim hats, Sunscreen, $2 million autonut29{at}yahoo.com Stan K. Cyganik	This $2,000,000 study came up with the conclusion that some mailmen don't like wearing hats and some mailmen don't like to apply and reapply sunscreen. Some mailmen find other devices to keep the hot sun off of them but are hampered by supervisors and station managers. Delivering mail to an NBU can be dreadful on a 110-degree summer day in Phoenix. You stand at the multiple mailbox unit for about fifteen to twenty minutes delivering mail with the sun bouncing off of the steel unit. To combat this a carrier can take five seconds of time to secure a beach umbrella to the unit, thus providing shade. However, [certain] station managers feel this is a time-wasting practice and a carrier should wear a hat and use sunscreen. The hat keeps the temperature high under the hat and the sunscreen takes some time to apply and then must be reapplied after the carrier wipes the original application off. Also, the carrier is never assured that he has covered every exposed part of skin. The decision of [the station managers] was reinforced by stating that the medical unit will not authorize the use of an umbrella. No amount of money spent on any study will be worthwhile if people in positions of authority lack intelligence or common sense.