Q: My job is having me taking care of electrolyte waste, toxic waste, flammable liquid, flammable solid, aerosol flammable
My job is having me taking care of electrolyte waste, toxic waste, flammable liquid, flammable solid, aerosol flammable gas, cathode slurry, anode slurry, phosphoric acid solution, UN1805, UN3175, UN2924, UN3077, xylene, UN2811, etc. I am doing all this job without proper PPE, without proper training and without being certified to do so. Now, I start bleeding out in my nose and somehow I have high blood pressure which I believe is because of being exposed daily to those waste with no proper protection. Is my health issues a direct result of this exposure What is OSHA says about that? What about Nevada laws? What about federal laws? Should I hire an attorney for that?
A:
A Nevada attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for a week. Those are some nasty substances you're dealing with. Some of the things you mention are general headings for waste streams, but they can pose health risks, depending on their concentrations and your level of exposure.
I'm sorry for your nose bleeds and other symptoms. It is good you are vigilant in recognizing the possible correlation with your workplace environment. You ask if you should hire an attorney. You could start by consulting with an attorney. These are not your ordinary personal injury settings. You'll want to consider consulting with law firms that deal with toxic tort matters (exposure to harmful substances).
You ask a lot of good questions, but they are too lengthy to answer. Yes, there are laws... labor, environmental, health, industrial hygiene, and others, on various levels, ranging from EPA and OSHA with the feds - to state and municipal levels. You could reach out to attorneys, and also consider a medical consult with physicians who are experienced in occupational hazards involving chemical exposure.
Don't be shy about asking for personal protective gear, including respirators with proper color-coded cartridges and other measures. Your state right-to-know laws may also cover your rights to see Material Safety Data Sheets for the substances you handle. You can discuss these things further with an attorney. Good luck
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