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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be beyond livid with my husband's boss and to press him to make a formal complaint?

77 replies

YouCantBeSerious · 07/10/2013 19:26

My husband is somewhat shell-shocked tonight after an incident at work. I've managed to drag the story out of him, bit by bit, and I am utterly horrified at what has gone on.

Basically my husband was working in the lab when he noticed a really unpleasant smell. Turns out the fume cupboard had stopped working so he was breathing in the chemicals rather than them going up the spout. The alarm didn't go off when it stopped working so he didn't know. Turns out it didn't go off because his fucking boss had meddled with it so that only the small light on the side goes off because the beeping annoys him.

So now my husband has to test himself everyday because his boss thinks it only needs doing formally if something shows up. Not like he's trying to cover his arse or anything. Angry

OP posts:
TheHouseCleaner · 07/10/2013 19:56

Your husband should escalate to a formal complaint and take photos, get witness statements etc and go to his GP or A&E to get the exposure put on record, not least because I'd bet the boss will try to cover this up.

He would also benefit from contacting the Environmental Health department of the company's local council for advice and speaking to
RIDDOR about reporting further and about the boss's behaviour.

I hope your husband is ok.

lizzzyyliveson · 07/10/2013 19:59

He is likely to be still in shock and not thinking clearly and you will be panicking. Take him to A&E to get someone outside the situation to look at him. This will start a paper trail of evidence. Someone will lose their job over this and you don't want it to be your husband.

whois · 07/10/2013 20:00

Report report report! Do everything by the book this is a massive issue.

SPBisResisting · 07/10/2013 20:03

Definitely report it and get him checked

BionicEmu · 07/10/2013 20:05

Just to add to the get him checked out brigade - please do, even if he says he's fine. As others have said, it'll make sure he's ok & start a paper trail - look at it as being part of doing things "by the book" if that helps persuade him.

As an aside - you do know that hydrogen cyanide is one of the chemicals used in chemical weapons? That's how nasty it is.

Original poster
YouCantBeSerious · 07/10/2013 20:06

Ok he's worked it out and on this occasion it's not so bad, although that's more by accident than design. He was working with such small amounts that if he inhaled all the fumes he would still be 100 x below the exposure necessary to make him ill. Worst case scenario, if he inhaled it all, is that he can't work for 3 years until his levels come back down to normal.

He's still not going to let them off the hook though.

OP posts:
dinasaw · 07/10/2013 20:09

A and E will start the paper trail of correct reporting as well as getting him properly medically assessed. Do not let him rely on his calculations. Please take him to A and E now.

Tilly333 · 07/10/2013 20:10

Thanks for updating us ... and glad to hear things are better than they seemed from first post. Keep us in the know though, as the consequence of his boss's actions and the fact his work situation may be compromised is just astonishing!

Retropear · 07/10/2013 20:11

I'd go to A&E so you have evidence,otherwise it's their word against his.

Original poster
YouCantBeSerious · 07/10/2013 20:13

His calculations will be spot on. If he goes to A&E they'll be ringing his office number for advice. :o

OP posts:
Madamecastafiore · 07/10/2013 20:15

He needs to report to Health and Safety Executive and the highest person he can in his company.

applebread · 07/10/2013 20:15

Hmm. I thought cyanide binded to haemoglobin so worst case scenario is that the blood can't carry oxygen, but that's fixable with blood transfusion. Are you sure about the substance/3 years off work?

Viviennemary · 07/10/2013 20:18

Every lab should have a H&S officer in charge. Or safety rep. Report to this person. Put in a report of unsafe act or near miss. Or if he doesn't want to do that he can report directly to the Health & Safety Executive and they will come and inspect. My DH has some experience of these safety inspections. Or another option is report fume cupboard as faulty.

Original poster
YouCantBeSerious · 07/10/2013 20:19

That's what he said applebread but he hasn't been exposed to enough to affect his health so worst case scenario is that his radiation dose exceeds the annual limit.

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 07/10/2013 20:20

Just to add if your DH doesn't report this and do something he could find himself prosecuted under the H &S at work act. Terrifying!!

stonefree · 07/10/2013 20:21

I'm a chemist.

If he was generating hydrogen cyanide why wouldn't he check the fume hood was working correctly before proceeding with the experiment?

Also, I work with cyanide daily and I have never heard of being checked for cyanide levels.

This is an odd thread.

stonefree · 07/10/2013 20:21

Hydrogen cyanide isn't radioactive!!!

MissStrawberry · 07/10/2013 20:22

Surely going to A & E reiterates how seriously your DH takes this?

Northernlurker · 07/10/2013 20:24

Cyanide isn't radiation. This is all very odd Hmm. However if anybody is concerned about health and safety at work and cannot get answers from tehir managers I would suggest contacting the HSE. They are extremely effective and have actual power to make changes.

cafecito · 07/10/2013 20:24

this is an enzyme inhibitor - works by inhibition of a key enzyme in mitochondria- and is the gas that was used in most Nazi concentration camps Shock

let him work out what he thinks the conc was - if very small, he should come to no harm. No panicking yet. If moderate - then he should go to A&E right now. I would suggest he gets checked out whatever and you do need this logged in the book at work

cafecito · 07/10/2013 20:26

and no, radiation is a completely different matter to hydrogen cyanide.

applebread · 07/10/2013 20:26

Hydrogen cyanide isn't usually radioactive though... (unless you're doing odd things with isotopes).

Does he mean that he sometimes works with radioactive gases and he'd want the fume cupboard to be working then? Tbh I'd be concerned about the lab work full stop if he's dealing with radioactive gases and just allowing them to waft off into a general fume cupboard. I have only a partial picture so probably have wrong end of stick.

Original poster
YouCantBeSerious · 07/10/2013 20:27

I've just asked him stonefree he says you're right, he should have checked the fume hood first. Your also right that hydrogen cyanide isn't normally radioactive. However the stuff he is working with is. He works in industrial recycling within the nuclear sector.

OP posts:
Anniemousse · 07/10/2013 20:27

He needs medical advice. 'Official' , documented, medical advice.
There needs to be an incident or accident report. Asap. If it's not possible tonight then first thing tomorrow.
In my organisaton, an investigation would follow such a serious incident report, including a risk assessment of this happening again.
Actions following the investigation would include sorting out the fume cupboard. The investigation would look at whether there was any wrongdoing by any person eg dh, boss.
He needs to go higher than his boss, it is important for all concerned that this is investigated.

hermioneweasley · 07/10/2013 20:28

His company should have a whistleblower policy which will say who to contact. Call them.