Please Clear Your Mailbox Area

NORTH CAROLINA — The weekend’s snow is having an effect on many businesses in the area. The Postal Service is not immune to transportation issues. Friday evening’s storm creates some travel issues among letter carriers, though mail delivery will continue as scheduled.

Snow and ice hazards cause numerous accidents and injuries to many people, especially letter carriers. Preventing a slip or bad fall can be as easy as putting down salt or sand on slippery surfaces.

Letter carriers cannot make door or curb deliveries when the approach to the mailbox is hazardous because of snow or ice. Carriers are not allowed to attempt door delivery when there is a heavy buildup of snow and ice on sidewalks, steps or porches. They are not allowed to dismount for curbline boxes blocked by snow and ice buildup. Snow must be cleared to the curbline for at least six feet on both sides of the mailbox so the carrier may approach and leave without backing up his or her vehicle.

Ice is particularly dangerous on steps and any walking surface, especially painted wood or concrete, such as stoops and porches. In open areas, watch for drifts and pileups from snowplows. When there’s a warm spell, and the melting snow runs or pools, a quick freeze can make a cleared sidewalk slicker than ever.

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A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars. With 36,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, the Postal Service relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $68 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 26th in the 2008 Fortune 500.