So I work for the largest poultry company in the nation. I work in the refrigeration department which is tasked with keeping the entire plant and poultry cold. We have a 70,000lb ammonia system which was all installed in 2001. Throughout the years most of the system has been neglected or haphazardly repaired by unqualified “maintenance operators.”
During the weekend, on 3rd shift, I’m the only operator there. I typically shut the plant down around 2am and with shutdowns comes problems. Two of our main compressors are in need of serious repair. I’ve complained for months and nothing. Last night one of these main compressors fails on me and I can’t get the other one up. Why? Both are running on their last leg. One runs high oil temps which has a water hose attached and running to keep it cool. The other has “slide valve” issues in which the housing has been removed and you have to adjust it manually. If any one of these compressors fail to start, the entire system shuts down. Last night neither one would start.
On the weekend we’re to call management or other operators should a problem arise thats out of our range to fix. I started frantically dialing my supervisor then his boss then his boss etc. No one answered a text or a phone call. Meanwhile, I have a plant to operate with cleaning personnel and such. All these issues and for hours I tried desperately to reach anyone. Nothing.
After hours of heart attack material, the next shift arrives and we get things settled. Two shifts later I wake up to one text from my boss saying : “ Sorry, I took a benadryl and had my phone on silent.”
I was due to come in for a 12 hr shift tonight. I called in as soon as I got home. No way I was going to give this place 12hrs of my time when not one person bothered to help.
Ammonia refrigeration systems can be very dangerous. The components are super expensive. Stressing that I could end up causing a release or a catastrophic failure was unnecessary. There’s more to all this like my immediate supervisor smoking weed or using THC pen at his desk and is high all the time when he is there. The whole place is a shit show and most of it is covered up from the authorities. Worst of all I am a Union Steward who doesn’t feel the Union would do shit other than side with the company if I blabbed. So confused and worried about my job.