Not easy battling rain, snow, sleet, hail

BY BRENT FOX

The Advertiser

NovaNewsNow.com

It’s brisk, healthy, outside work, but it can be dangerous in the winter.

Canada Post letter carriers have to be in shape to carry up to 35 pounds of mail several kilometres, over hills and down, in all sorts of weather, from freezing cold in the dead of winter and to blistering heat in the height of summer.

The Advertiser walked with one carrier Tuesday, Dec. 4, just after a major snow and windstorm hit the region.

Bill Young has been a letter carrier since 1994, having held positions as supervisor and clerk before. “I enjoyed them all,” he said, “but I enjoy this the most.”

Despite the storm the night before, the streets in the area were reasonably cleared by afternoon with some bad patches, and most residences were shoveled out adequately for mail delivery.

But that’s not the entire situation. Though the temperature was not too far below 0C, the wind was brisk and much of the particular north Kentville route included hilly territory. Young moved quickly from call to call, barely winded.



‘Great job’

“It’s a great job,” he noted, “if you have your health.” But any chronic health condition could aggravate it.

A recent plus are the new double satchels available to carriers. They distribute the weight evenly on both sides. The previous single satchel – still preferred by some – can tend to put strain on some people’s necks and backs.

As for cold-weather work, Young said that the corporation provides seasonal clothing and ice cleats.

However, in the summer, carriers have to be concerned about the heat and staying hydrated, as well as avoiding sunburn.

With 410 residential and 110 business calls, Young’s routes can be shorter than some.

He noted carriers who work the same routes for long periods get to know the people on them and can often find an address even if something isn’t quite correct on the envelope.

And it’s not just the people along a route the carriers have to get to know. The local canine population is also of interest.

Along the way on part of this particular route, two golden retrievers bound out to greet Young. Farther on, he pays a daily toll of a biscuit to a friendly German shepherd to enter his territory.

But carriers have to beware of less friendly critters. Young has been bitten four times over the years.



Put the miles on

Of the letter carriers in her section, Kentville West local area superintendent Juanita Cummings said, “they certainly put a lot of miles on.” Routes are between three to seven kilometres long. However, if there are more calls on a specific route, the shorter it is.

As well, carriers have workstations where they pick up their mail before setting out. While out on their walks, they retrieve bundles of mail at relay boxes along the routes, which keeps the weight down to 35 pounds.

Cummings says winter is especially treacherous for carriers. “It’s the time that 50 per cent of injuries occur.” She noted, “safety is paramount,” and if a street isn’t plowed and a walkway not cleared, delivery has to cease.

She pointed out that agencies such as the Workers’ Compensation Board could consider holding property owners liable for injury costs.

Added to this is the fact the holiday season brings heavier loads of mail, including advertising flyers.