So I’ve been at my job for 6 months, Last week I asked for an sds because there are frequently damaged products that come through and I want to know what I’m handling and processing with my bare hands. They have never once supplied ppe for me.
This was met with “well are there any concerns?” by two of my superiors on separate occasions. I simply replied both times that I would like to know what I’m handling. By the end of the day there was an sds in my email. Reading through this particular sds I saw the chemical makeup and there are two elemental metals that “under normal operation” I shouldn’t be exposed to. In the event of a broken seal handle accordingly; followed by suggestions for handling and protective precautions.
The email also ensured to say “under normal operation you shouldn’t be exposed”
We keep our damages in an open cardboard box on top of my desk. And when that box is full it goes into a cabinet to sit until one of us takes it to the recycling facility.
Yesterday morning I was greeted at work by the other manager. The topic was safety and rearranging and so I figured I would chime in with my concerns.
I brought up that now that these are unsealed we need to be treating them as hazardous waste as the sds suggests.
This was a 20 minute back and forth about “it’s not a hazard” “this has been going strong for 10 years and nobody else has had a problem” “so you found this out researching things on the internet? lots of glaring and eye rolling. I cited OSHA regulations on the chemicals as well as CFR laws regarding all of it to be met with “don’t tell the engineers about this because we don’t want to make a mountain out of a molehill” I suggested we contain it at the very least and that PPE needs to be available. She ultimately came up with the solution of taking it to recycling center more frequently. Asked if I could, and after I agreed to do so her and another coworker scrambled quickly to take it. Told me to order gloves that would be suitable and didn’t sacrifice productivity. That was yesterday.
Today I go in to be greeted by my desk being moved and the potentially hazardous cabinet where my desk was, and now right next to my desk.
I was grilled for about a half hour about my concerns by ANOTHER manager. With her making me feel crazy suggesting this hazard was merely perceived and imagined. After being scolded and asked what my concern was for the millionth time I said I was not informed that I would be handling elemental metals with my bare hands.
Her response was “ohh this is going to be a problem” and promptly left with the other manager for breakfast.
The came back to give me a burrito, apologize, pull the first box of gloves I’ve seen out, and ensure me none of this was intentional, and asked (seemingly hoping I’d say yes) if this was going to affect my my ability to do my job.
I seem to have made this somewhat toxic workplace into a somewhat hostile environment. Definitely somehow feel like I’m in the wrong. What the fuck do I do here?
TLDR: I brought up a safety concern at my new job and have been met with a twisted fury.
Edited to add: this sds was not available anywhere in this facility’s binders.