Monday, January 22, 2018

An acidic day

It started like a normal day, a Monday that is. After I got done with my testing, I was going to set up the pump on the new barrel of Nitric to add to the Deox tank. I turned it on and next thing I know, the side of the Etch tank was smoking. Apparently there was a hole in my Nitric hose so I had to reinstall new hose for that. Didn't take as long as I had thought, I must be getting good at this stuff.

After that, I went to make my adds. Because of the lack of a barrel pump, still, I was using the method of using a manual barrel pump over to the 5 gallon bucket and then submersible pump from the bucket to the tank. I had to add a bunch of Sulfuric after decanting 3 of the tanks. I had filled the bucket and pumped it out 5 times already and was on my last tank. I got the bucket about half way full when I saw the manual pump hose bouncing around. I didn't want it coming out of the bucket and since I was using my hands to pump, I pinned it against the barrel with my knee. Which worked great, until it didn't. When I pinned it, I either caused a hole or there was one I hadn't seen and with every pump I made, more Sulfuric was going onto my pants. I didn't notice it right away, I was thinking my knee was hurting a bit from holding the hose. I finally pulled my knee away and looked at it and realized there was a streak of Sulfuric running down my knee.

I stopped the pump and set everything aside then walked around to the back of the line. I knew there was not a way to get to my knee without taking my pants off and I didn't want to do that in front of the line. By the time I got back there, I could really feel it, I kicked off my shoes and socks, then my pants and grabbed the hose and started spraying my knee. I was doing that for about 5 minutes before one of the girls came back there and I hollered at her and asked her to go get someone. A little bit later, the safety guy comes up and starts helping me as I stand there in my underwear and lab coat.


They eventually ended up sending me to the med clinic. They were worried because the (M)SDS sheet said third degree burns can happen within 3 minutes of not getting treated and since I wasn't positive on how long it was on my knee before I got the water on it, they sent me. I didn't want to go but since they were saying I had to, I didn't really have a choice.


They basically wrapped it up and gave me some cream in case it starts to blister tomorrow. It's not a big deal to me, once I got the water on it, it started feeling a lot better. I sat in the office (in my underwear) for about 20 minutes while my boss ran to Walmart to buy me a pair of pants since I couldn't put mine back on and it didn't really hurt that whole time but they sent me anyways.


After I left there, I headed back to work, mainly to check in and clock out because it was past quitting time. I went into the Anodizing office to gather some of my stuff and the group leader was in there. We were talking about what happened and she informed me that the person I asked to go get help, ran up and interrupted a meeting with all the management in a panic saying I was burned. That was completely on her because I was not panicked at all so we'll see who all comes and checks on me tomorrow. I know one good thing that will happen, the safety guy already purchased 3 barrel pumps. WooHoo!

I came home and chit chatted with the wife who had to do an MRI today. They are doing one to see if the MS has progressed any more. It'll take a bit to find out her results so now it's wait and see.

Samantha went to the high school basketball game and we've been chilling most of the evening, watching a couple of Michigan basketball games I had on the DVR. One men's and one women's game. Cheri has already crashed from the valium they gave her to calm her for the MRI. I've been fighting sleep all night but of course, am now wide awake. As I type this out, I'm listening to the storm outside. Thunder, lightning and rain for sure, almost sounded like a little sleet at one point but I'm not sure it's quite cold enough for that.

I'll catch you on the flip side tomorrow with an update about my knee.

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