I need advice on an injury that I feel sure happend at work. Work is denying it happened at work.?

[aswynn81]

I work for a major corporation that makes engine parts. The chemicals I use at work have strong side effects such as burns, rashes and blisters. I have been working with these chemicals everyday for one year and wear gloves and have never had a problem. One day a little rash appeared over night and within 24 hours there were big blisters that an outside doctor said looked like 2nd degree burns. The health clinic from work diagnosed it as dermititis and gave me steariod cream, (which is why i went to an outside walk in clinic). The walk-in clinic doctor gave me antibiotic ointment and gave me a restriction not to use left hand. My hand was so painful that I had to leave work early a couple of times and miss pay and be penalized on my attendence. I also now have to pay for the lab, because since the clinic from work said it wasn't burns I was worried it could be a communicable infection. I believe my work is trying to avoid an OSHA report and I am pretty positive it is work related. I have read the MSDS on the chemicals I use and they say that the blisters or reactions may not happen immediately. My work acts like I did it at home, like I got into some poisen ivy or something. The operator that maintains the wash tank I use does not check the concentration levels and I feel that the concentration was toxic thus the blisters on my hand. I am a former professional guitar player and piano teacher and still have my own small business. I called an injury lawyer and they wouldn't take the case because it was 2nd degree burns. I have pictures and it is still healing. I would like feedback from anyone that knows about the law and what steps I should take. I have pictures of the blisters and documention from the health professionals.

[chiram97]

I work for a major corporation that makes engine parts. The chemicals I use at work have strong side effects such as burns, rashes and blisters. I have been working with these chemicals everyday for one year and wear gloves and have never had a problem. One day a little rash appeared over night and within 24 hours there were big blisters that an outside doctor said looked like 2nd degree burns. The health clinic from work diagnosed it as dermititis and gave me steariod cream, (which is why i went to an outside walk in clinic). The walk-in clinic doctor gave me antibiotic ointment and gave me a restriction not to use left hand. My hand was so painful that I had to leave work early a couple of times and miss pay and be penalized on my attendence. I also now have to pay for the lab, because since the clinic from work said it wasn't burns I was worried it could be a communicable infection. I believe my work is trying to avoid an OSHA report and I am pretty positive it is work related. I have read the MSDS on the chemicals I use and they say that the blisters or reactions may not happen immediately. My work acts like I did it at home, like I got into some poisen ivy or something. The operator that maintains the wash tank I use does not check the concentration levels and I feel that the concentration was toxic thus the blisters on my hand. I am a former professional guitar player and piano teacher and still have my own small business. I called an injury lawyer and they wouldn't take the case because it was 2nd degree burns. I have pictures and it is still healing. I would like feedback from anyone that knows about the law and what steps I should take. I have pictures of the blisters and documention from the health professionals.

You need to call OSHA yourself and have them check out the medical reports and the situation. Look at their website and you can find the information for your location. You can also talk to your labor board. Either way, you should contact them because a medical lab that works for the company in questions isn't a reliable unbiased party to give an assessment.

[chepito]

It's better to earn your money rather than take it from someone else but if you truly lost something from this incident it might not be immoral to sue. But one things for sure, GET A DIFFERENT JOB!!

Those chemicals will kill you in the long run. Get a CNC operator job. You get to machine metal parts all day and the pay is similar to a chemical handler. All you gotta do is say you know how to read micrometers and calipers, which you can easily watch videos on youtube about. Get out of there.

[shen86]

Only you can decide how far to take this.
But I strongly recommend that unless you want to go all the way, leave it alone.

yes, they probably do not want any OSHA trouble, and that is a shame that a government regulatory agency has been given such power that it intimidates employers into not taking care of it's employees.

To start with, it sounds like we are the only ones you have told the whole story to. Did you tell the doctor about the MSDS? Did you tell the lawyer about the Doctor or the MSDS? Did you only check with one lawyer?
Either keep going, or give it up. But a little more effort will get you fired, and without a leg to stand on.