Possible contamination

[Apollo]

First of all, thanks for all the help back in the day everyone. It helped a lot. Sorry for being so negative though.

OK, so I guess by now it'd be post-contamination, but what do I know?

Tonight I was sweeping on the unload, and apparently we had a box go by on the irreg. belt with blood all over it. They asked everyone on the inbound if they were bleeding, no one had been. They also searched the irreg. drivers, shifters and supervisors in the area.

Well round 8:30 or so tonight i found that I had gotten the blood on my glove. So I asked my supervisor about it he said "I don't know." I tried to ask my full-time sup. but he wouldn't pay attention to me, which I understand, that late into the sort he's usually pretty busy. So I continued thinking nothing of it, and finished up. Then it hit me that i usually rub my face and such with my glove, and that if i got it on my glove who knows where else on my clothes/body.

So I went to the clerks after clocking out and asked them about it. They didn't know where it was, where it came from, whos/whats blood it was, who handled it. One of the clerks called a few people but wasn't having any luck with that. A few mentioned something about "post-contamination protocol" but none of them seemed to know what to do in that situation. They told me just not to worry about it took my name and phone numbers and pretty much sent me on my way.

I've obviously already taken off/washed my clothes, as well as showered and scrubbed off real good. Is there anything else I should do? Should I be worried? Should i call a doctor (this late hospital)? Should i call them or wait for them to call me? Is there more they should/could have done? I'm mildly freaking out, but hopefully you can understand that.

Well, thanks for listening, and i hope to get an answer soon.

 

[BLACKBOX]

Believe me, if the blood was substantial they would've stopped the sort. People bleed on boxes all the time, seems like nobody cared unless there was a limb attached.

 

[Apollo]

Substantial as in a lot of blood or substantial as they had a reason to be worried?

Also, i've been thinking, i'm almost certain it came from someone in my hub. If it had been from some other hub, it would have been on the package for at least 8 hours and more than likely would have dried up. And if they asked everyone in my hub, what reason would said person have to hide the fact they were bleeding, unless they had some sort of contagious disease?

Also, regardless should i get tested? And if so, should I try to make UPS pay for the tests?

 

[PopCan]

If someone was bleeding and said no, they may just have been unaware that they were bleeding.

I don't think any but the toughest bacteria or virus can survive exposure outside a body for long, but it definitely couldn't hurt to ask a doctor.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Is this a troll thread? Difficult to judge

 

[blue efficacy]

So you got a little blood on your glove, big ****ing deal. If you got blood on an open cut, thats something else entirely..

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

So you got a little blood on your glove, big ****ing deal. If you got blood on an open cut, thats something else entirely..

It could be a big ****ing deal as he said that he sometimes rubs his face with his glove. It is most likely a non-issue but I am surprised at how unconcerned his mgt team was about the incident.

 

[trplnkl]

Isn't blood a HAZMAT? why were standard hazmat procedures not followed?

 

[Paid-over-in-Maine]

Back in my days as an EMT (10+ yrs ago) there were viruses that would stay active for 12+ hrs. hepatitis B comes to mind, even after it dried. blood-born pathogens are pretty serious. The next time I would stop working until you got yourself cleaned up. Your own safety has to be a priority. I know there are many things that you come in contact with that you don't know about, or that you can't control. I this instance, you saw it, you saw that you had blood on you, you should not keep working, get yourself cleaned up.

 

[scratch]

Apollo, I wouldn't freak out about this. Mix some water and bleach together and it will clean about anything. My wife used to work in an ER and teach first aid and CPR.

 

[kingOFchester]

I am surprised at how unconcerned his mgt team was about the incident.

Surely you must be joking!! And I know you aren't Surely

 

[dilligaf]

The sup/mgt should have paid attention when you asked him about it. Shame on him for not doing that. You have the right to have follow-up care including blood tests to make sure you did not contract any blood born pathonegen. This could mean several blood test over several weeks and/or months. I would be sure to talk to the top dog and explain what happened and how your sup disregarded your situation. It was totally out of line. Busy or not the sup needed to stop what he was doing immediately.

Is it certain that the blood came from a person? I processed a leaker once that was venison that was not pkg'd properly. Check with your first responders and see if they have processed anything that would account for the blood. All human biologicals (lab samples) being shipped are triple pkg and are generally next day airs so it's unlikely, however not impossible, to be something like this.

 

[dilligaf]

So you got a little blood on your glove, big ****ing deal. If you got blood on an open cut, thats something else entirely..

Take your Bull ***** someplace else. You have been nothing but negative since the day you got here.

 

[UPSNewbie]

So you got a little blood on your glove, big ****ing deal. If you got blood on an open cut, thats something else entirely..

Step back and pull the twig out.

 

[Apollo]

The sup/mgt should have paid attention when you asked him about it. Shame on him for not doing that. You have the right to have follow-up care including blood tests to make sure you did not contract any blood born pathonegen. This could mean several blood test over several weeks and/or months. I would be sure to talk to the top dog and explain what happened and how your sup disregarded your situation. It was totally out of line. Busy or not the sup needed to stop what he was doing immediately.

Is it certain that the blood came from a person? I processed a leaker once that was venison that was not pkg'd properly. Check with your first responders and see if they have processed anything that would account for the blood. All human biologicals (lab samples) being shipped are triple pkg and are generally next day airs so it's unlikely, however not impossible, to be something like this.

How do I go about getting the possible blood tests? Who should I talk to today about this whole situation? I tried finding someone at the twilight office last night, but couldn't.

It's not certain, well to me at least, that it was human blood. The clerk/hazmat guy said it "looked like human blood" but how do you look and see the difference?

What I know is that it more than likely came from Reno. It was an irreg. That I was one of at least 3 people to handle that box. That it did go through hazmat, got cleaned up, and apparently shipped back out before I got there to ask. I know that they handled the situation very poorly. When I got there, no one knew where it was from. They didn't know standard protocols. Hazmat had to ask dispatch, who could only say we had 3 renos on door 35. I know that my supervisors should have done more. Also, I know i'm now more pissed off than scared.

What I want to know now is, what are my rights with this situation? How "high" should I go to talk to someone about this. I tried to talk to the highest person I know by name at the hub last night, but didn't get anything from him. Should I go to HR, OSHA or Teamsters?

Also, can I get in trouble fore going to OSHA? I've wondered that one for a long time actually.

 

[over9five]

First, before you continue to panic, call your doctor. Just tell him what happened over the phone. See what he thinks before you take it further.

Call right now, don't wait.


I think he'll tell you to relax.

 

[Tiny Panda]

From someone who used to work with blood products and who now collects them on a regular basis from one of my customers i'm saying dont worry.

Unless you had an open wound or you rubbed the blood in your eye then the chances of catching anything are virtually none. Even if you had done either of those you have to have had a half decent amount of it to make it even a small chance of catching anything.

Put your mind at rest by all means by getting checked out but dont go worrying you've got aids/herpes/hep B etc

The samples i collect are used in testing and are animal products and arent classed as haz goods

 

[Kraetos]

It is most likely a non-issue but I am surprised at how unconcerned his mgt team was about the incident.

I had a laugh out of that, I'm waiting for the day the dead body of one of our unloaders comes down the slide and a supervisor puts him on a cart in the NIB section.

As for the blood, are you sure it's blood? Could be paint, did you taste it?

In all seriousness though be sure to get in contact with the head honcho and make sure everything is reported properly and comment on the fact that your supervisor was very unconcerned.

Blood should be taken with extreme precaution, my cousin contracted Hepatitis-C from an emergency room visit, hospitals are the best places to get sick He's been paying for it ever since.

 

[dilligaf]

How do I go about getting the possible blood tests? Who should I talk to today about this whole situation? I tried finding someone at the twilight office last night, but couldn't.
Find a sup/mgr as high up the ladder as you can go. Take your steward with you if need be. Explain to them exactly what happened, including that your immediate sup wouldn't listen to you.
It's not certain, well to me at least, that it was human blood. The clerk/hazmat guy said it "looked like human blood" but how do you look and see the difference?
If I am not mistaken you cannot just look at blood and know if it is human or not. It needs to be DNA tested to know for sure.
What I know is that it more than likely came from Reno. It was an irreg. That I was one of at least 3 people to handle that box. That it did go through hazmat, got cleaned up, and apparently shipped back out before I got there to ask. I know that they handled the situation very poorly. When I got there, no one knew where it was from. They didn't know standard protocols. Hazmat had to ask dispatch, who could only say we had 3 renos on door 35. I know that my supervisors should have done more. Also, I know i'm now more pissed off than scared.
Someone had better be trained and quickly on protocols for handling blood born pathanogens. This is NOT something to screw around with. If you don't get any action on this immediately tell them you will take it to OSHA. And stick to your guns.
What I want to know now is, what are my rights with this situation? How "high" should I go to talk to someone about this. I tried to talk to the highest person I know by name at the hub last night, but didn't get anything from him. Should I go to HR, OSHA or Teamsters?
Call and file a complaint with the 800 # ( 800-220-4126). I guarantee you someone will be hearing about it.
Also, can I get in trouble fore going to OSHA? I've wondered that one for a long time actually.

NO (they might try) but you have a right to a safe workplace and the right to protect yourself. If they start retaliating then start filing greivances and calling the 800# again. Someone's head is going to be on the chopping block. As has been posted Don't panic. But do take every precaution possible and absolutely report it. They need to take all possible steps to prevent this from happening again, their lack of knowledge in what to do is shameful. Mgt blew it. There are specific steps that have to be followed and they should have known that.

 

[UPSNewbie]

NO (they might try) but you have a right to a safe workplace and the right to protect yourself. If they start retaliating then start filing greivances and calling the 800# again. Someone's head is going to be on the chopping block. As has been posted Don't panic. But do take every precaution possible and absolutely report it. They need to take all possible steps to prevent this from happening again, their lack of knowledge in what to do is shameful. Mgt blew it. There are specific steps that have to be followed and they should have known that.

I laughed at "sup being able to tell what kind it is by looking at it." He's sure to get a darwin award sometime within his life...