On Tuesday, Rep. Rashida Tlaib held up a photo of Nicholas “Nick” Acker at a House subcommittee hearing and bluntly pressed Postmaster General David Steiner to visit the USPS Detroit Network Distribution Center in Allen Park. Acker, 36, a Trenton resident and Air Force veteran, was found trapped inside a mail-handling machine on Nov. 8, 2025, and family and coworkers say his body went undiscovered for hours before first responders arrived.
At the hearing, Tlaib called Acker’s death “heartbreaking” and grilled Steiner over reports that management had pressured staff to look for mail while machines were running. Steiner replied that he was aware of the incident, that officials were waiting on OSHA’s final report, and that “I will be at that facility,” but he did not commit to a date. As reported by ClickOnDetroit, coworkers told lawmakers the plant’s culture discouraged shutting down equipment even for routine repairs.
Lawmakers press for a tour and records
Michigan Reps. Debbie Dingell and Rashida Tlaib followed up in a Jan. 9 letter asking the Postmaster General for a tour of the Detroit NDC and copies of the Postal Service’s response to a union grievance about the same machine. The members wrote that it is imperative that family members and coworkers receive comprehensive information and requested a scheduling reply within two weeks. The lawmakers’ follow-up letter is available from Rep. Debbie Dingell’s Office.
Grievance flagged the same machine
The letter notes that the union filed an Article 14 grievance fewer than 90 days before Acker’s death, alleging management had been putting pressure on staff to look for letters while the handling machine was operating, a point lawmakers say needs a formal response. Coworkers who spoke to investigators described a mail must move at all costs culture, and a maintenance steward said he helped remove Acker’s body, accounts that have sharpened demands for an on-site review. The lawmakers asked the Postal Service to provide the grievance response and scheduling details in the same letter from Rep. Dingell’s Office.
Autopsy, OSHA and the ongoing probe
The Wayne County medical examiner later ruled Acker’s death accidental and listed mechanical asphyxia as the cause. Toxicology reportedly detected only caffeine and nicotine. OSHA and the Postal Service’s internal Serious Accident Investigation Board are reviewing the case. OSHA has said it has up to six months to complete its investigation and will not release additional details during that period. The autopsy and related reporting are detailed by ClickOnDetroit.
What happens next
Lawmakers say they will keep pushing for on-site access and answers while Acker’s family waits for OSHA’s findings. Steiner told the panel the death was “horrific” and said leaders must take it personally, language that lawmakers and workers hope will translate into a scheduled visit and concrete safety fixes, although no date has been announced.
