Posted By Marie Dolman
Not being an issue I have dealt with before, does anyone have experience with employees discovering that the substances they are using are tested on animals and the resulting uproar?
Epoxy resin is used in one of our assembly processes and some of the staff are now adamant they won't work with it for ethical reasons. Their Manager has been pointed out that they are wearing makeup, leather shoes etc. but it continues to be an issue none the less.
Where possible we could try to source substances that don't involve animal testing, but in industry I guess this is not likely to be possible.
Any comments would be appreciated.

Posted By Diane Warne
Marie,
You're right, sourcing chemicals that "have not been tested on animals" just is not possible. Your employees I'm afraid are being rather naive if they don't realise that just about every chemical around them has been tested at one time or another. This will include glues, paints, inks, detergents, polish, soap, hand cream, solvents; the de-icer they spray their cars with on a winter morning, their washing powder, medicines......blah blah blah.....
If you look at most MSDSs there will be a section on "toxicological data" - i.e. the results of testing on animals, and usually plenty of it.
You have already established that the employees are not committeed animal rights activists who are all vegans and wear only plastic shoes, and use no shampoo, deodorant etc, and clean their houses only with home-made herbal concoctions; could they be using this as a way of refusing to do work that they don't want to do for other reasons? I can't help but suspect an unrelated industrial relations problem here.
Maybe you could contact the supplier of the epoxy, who could perhaps send you something to explain why supply of a non-animal tested alternative isn't possible, and you could show this to them.
Godd luck!

Regards

Diane