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Q&As since 1989


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What if the chrome plating exhaust blower is not working?

My nose has a burn, my eyes sting I cough and sneeze a lot. I have it on my hands. My sores slow to heal; the blower is very bad
How do I handle this without trouble at work? The operator on the other shift is having trouble.

Don
worker - Missouri
May 1, 2011

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You are in a tough spot. It is your employers duty to protect you from this sort of occupational exposure (especially in chrome plating) and I am saddened to hear that they are not doing that. There is an OSHA hotline that you can call with your complaint, and OSHA will force your employer to address the issue but your employer may also guess who made the complaint and that might put you in a more tenuous position. Your best option is to try to have a rational discussion with a supervisor that you feel that you can talk to without retaliation. Try to approach him with positive suggestions for improvement rather than just making a complaint. If he is willing, perhaps he would allow a company like ours to pay a visit and offer solutions to your problem. This is totally fixable.

Jon Barrows, MSF, EHSSC
GOAD Company

Independence, Missouri

May 3, 2011

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If you have contact with your process supplier ask that person to recommend a suitable surfactant product to minimise the fumes. This will give an immediate solution until the fume extraction problem is solved.

Geoffrey Whitelaw
- Port Melbourne, Australia
May 9, 2011

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Look at 29 cfr 1910.1026.

Trent Kaufman
electroplater - Galva, Illinois
May 13, 2011

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May 14, 2011

Sad to read that still some electroplating facilities cannot afford a proper health system in order maintaining a good work climate caused by cleaner air. With small little tricks and small scale investment a suitable recovery system can be established which results in emissions far below the legal limits while partly being re-used and can result in a win-win situation.

Talk with your superior and share/refine the technical & practical with him. If both agree and have designed a small study in easy words and few numbers, I think the company owner can be convinced doing so before OHSA is being informed.

Good Luck.

Kind regards,

Dominik Michalek
- Melbourne, Australia