ALLEN PARK, Mich. – A friend and coworker of the man who was found dead in a machine at the Allen Park postal facility said safety protocols are “not followed” and “not enforced.”
Nicholas John Acker, 36, of Trenton, was found stuck in a machine Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, and had reportedly been dead for hours before firefighters arrived.
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Postal maintenance mechanic Matthew Stiffler was one of Acker’s close friends and coworkers. He’s also the union representative.
During an interview with Local 4, Stiffler emphasized that he was speaking on his own behalf and not representing the postal service.
He described the work environment at the facility as “toxic” and said his safety concerns have grown under new management.
While there are safety protocols for machines, Stiffler said, “most of those aren’t followed.”
“Honestly, they’re just not followed and they’re not enforced,” Stiffler said.
He said management prioritizes production over safety, and the overall attitude about work is “get it done as quickly as possible.”
Stiffler said this is how he and everyone he knows at work feels.
The mechanic explained that the facility’s machines were built in the 1970s and that packing is different now, which often causes issues with the machines.
It takes time to lock out those machines when something goes down, and Stiffler said management doesn’t want to see production stop.
Stiffler said the work environment feels both “unsettling” and “unsafe.”
“Nobody trusts anybody there anymore,” said Stiffler. “My coworkers, everybody, feels unsafe.”
Stiffler didn’t share specific details to avoid affecting the investigation, but said that he is pushing for a thorough investigation of what happened and urging accountability.
“Nick was a good man,” Stiffler said. “He deserves something to happen, and his death not to be in vain.”
Here’s more on what the worker told Local 4 --> Close friend says he helped pull Allen Park postal worker’s body from machine, slams ‘toxic’ culture
Local 4 reached out to USPS on Monday, requesting a response to Stiffler’s comments. We received the following statement:
“The Postal Service is deeply saddened by the loss of life suffered recently involving our postal employee. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues at this time. This incident remains under investigation by OSHA, and the Postal Service is fully cooperating. We do not have any further comment at this time.”
USPS Statement