When A Company Cares

 

Hubby was hired as a metal finisher, but the acid wash department (not sure of the actual name) was short handed and needed help for a couple weeks or so. Basically the job requires suiting up in special boots, pants, jacket, gloves and hood with an air line. The job is acid washing the black marks left behind by the welding of the metals. After the acid comes a water rinse, and then a quality check to make sure the acid is washed away. After the first day, hubby got the hang of it. He liked the guy he was working with. The quality of his work was excellent. And then he got a little rash on his upper arm. He talked to his leader. Thinking he got acid in his sleeve, they got him a jacket with longer arms. I put cortisone ointment on the rash. Things seemed ok, for a couple days. Then he came home with rashes all over. They appeared at work, so he showed them to his boss before coming home.

We were alarmed. I was especially so, and told him, you can't get more rashes on top of these rashes, it will be like burns going deeper. He was thinking he needed longer gloves, that perhaps acid was still getting in his sleeves. His co-workers were trying to help. One guy doesn't even wear PPE (personal protection equipment), he says nothing bothers him. The other guy, who does wear PPE and has been working in that department for years, has never had a problem. One girl who used to work in that department broke out in rashes so bad she ended up in the hospital.

The next day hubby arrived at work and began putting on his PPE. Immediately the big boss came over and told him to put the equipment away. "We can't let you work in acid washing anymore, your health is more important." He called him in the office to talk.

"Where would you like to work? Pick anything, we can train you", the boss asked. 

"I like metal finishing, I was hired as a metal finisher", hubby answered.

I don't know the full conversation, but they talked about the jobs and praised him for learning fast and doing good work. His work in the acid washing department was excellent, but because of the rashes he would not return to that job. The policy was made after the employee mentioned above ended up in the hospital. It is some type of allergic reaction that could only worsen.

So hubby is back in metal finishing, and quite happy about it. More people have been hired to fill needed positions. Someone else is helping in the acid washing department. All is well.

Below is one of several pictures I took of his rashes. They are clearing up nicely since he returned to metal finishing.