Give the HSE a quick ring

All too obviously the employer has no interest in employee health. Or safety.

Here, have a read of my unions solicitors view on the matter:

http://www.thompsons.law...-compensation-claims.htm

The HSE has some good advice on SMART repairs,

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg473.pdf

Totally disagree, the company need a wake up call and a bill for fee for intervention might just get them to think seriously about SHE in their workplace, they need a push

quote=JohnMurray]

All too obviously the employer has no interest in employee health. Or safety.

Here, have a read of my unions solicitors view on the matter:

http://www.thompsons.law...-compensation-claims.htm

I went through that years ago....Painting operations in a fabrication workshop, while welding/flame-cutting and fabrication were ongoing...
Conditions were so bad that employees were complaining of headaches, nausea and poor breathing. The workshop heaters (gas, recirculated air) heat exchangers eventually got blocked with soot. The heating engineer came in, cleaned them, and told management never to call him again (he was totally black....)
Management took it seriously when the workforce started going home rather than breath the rubbish in...they then switched to night spraying, same workshop.
The paint was solvent based zinc phosphate primer.
The floor was inches deep in overspray.... (dried to a powder)

The fire service would be interested, especially if flammable fumes ate present. And if there is no fire risk assessment they would require one.

You could contact your local fire station, do that fom home, they probably work a night shift, and tell them you want some advice and they should make a visit.

Tell them you wish to remain anomynous and they will respect that.

If you do that it should start the process of getting everything in place.

Thank you for all of the replies, I did'nt realise so many people had replied or I would have came back sooner

I've spent last Thursday and Friday evening as well as Saturday and Sunday looking at many, many sites on line and really reading up on everything.

I sent my manager and the health and safety co-ordinator an email on Monday morning stating all of my concerns. The H&S co-cordinator has echoed all of my concerns and has agreed that the fumes are very strong and can be smelt from far away.

Our manager was meant to come back from a week off on Tuesday this week but has been off ill so far this week.

Two other points I just want to raise are that all of the paints are stored in an old metal cupboard, its not fire proof.

Secondly, on the back of the extraction unit it states "Warning. Use with Iscoynate 2k clearcoats will result in premature filter blockage"

Am I right in thinking that therefore this unit is'nt even meant to be used with two pack paints?

I'm going to wait for my manager's response and if that doesn't come or is not satisfactory I'll email the CEO and Aftersales manager. The third step will be the local office for the HSE.

Thank you for all of the advice. So far this week there has only been painting on monday but regardless of how frequent it happens it needs to be looked in to as it's not safe IMO.

I'll let you know asap what happens next

also

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg388.htm

and

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg261.htm

free downloads

IW,

The links above are HSE guidance.

The COSHH regulations apply to any hazardous substance including isocyanates, and are explained in the Approved Code of Practice L5, which quotes and explains the LAW and suggests how to comply with it,

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l5.htm

Guidance from HSE can be used in court; if you don't follow HSE guidance the judge will say you have failed to take reasonable care of employees.

With regard to fume extraction equipment (LEV) this is the only way to control the isocyanate hazard in your situation, so in court a judge will say you have broken the law if you have not maintained the LEV in a suitable efficient condition.

Read these FAQ for more advice

http://www.hse.gov.uk/lev/faqs.htm

John

Thank you for all of the links, I have looked at all of them

As my immediate manager has been off work for 2.5 weeks (due back in tomorrow) my issue has now gone above his head whilst he has been off. A more senior manager has now got involved.

Today I was informed by him that myself and three people in the bodyshop are going to be tested next week for exposure to isocynates and all painting has stopped until further notice.

This may sound like a big step in the right direction and in a way it is but I doubt very much they will find any trace of isocynates at the moment in time as I myself have been keeping myself away from the spraying as much as possible and two of the other three people work in a different, separate bay. The paint sprayer did however tell me yesterday that her chest feels tight after she's been painting.

I got the feeling from my brief conversation with the manager that if the tests show no trace then in his opinion there is nothing the matter with the setup although he is not qualified to make this decision.

I can see the operation continuing just the way it is. On many of the links provided to the HSE site it clearly states that nobody should be exposed to paint mist which I am.

If things do start again I'll have to remove myself from the bay for thirty minutes every time and the other option is that if this can't be sorted out in house I'll have to contact the HSE local office. I don't really want to go down this route as I'm sure it will annoy a few people but what other option do I have?

I guess I need to wait and see first but I spoke to the H&S co-ordinator earlier and he said the manager had said to him that if the painting is only done a couple of times a week he doesn't see a problem.
Sometimes it can be three times a day, other times it may be once a week. It totally varies but either way the whole set-up is wrong.

The ventilation unit states isocynates prematurely block the filters, the filters have never been changed as it stands, they don't know when to change them and they also don't have a clue when it's safe to go back in the room and when the mist has cleared.

I have very little confidence in the company. They are currently trying to settle out of court with an employee who was injured whilst at work three years ago. The whole incident has been a big cover up and they've tried to get him sacked but have so far been unsuccessful. This is why I'm a bit wary of taking it further but I don't want my health to be affected

Thank you for the replies and help so far