The truck wash industry and rail car cleaning sub-sector use lots of chemicals to clean. Here is a horrible story of what happens when businesses allow their employees to remove chemicals from the property. Not more than a year ago an employee took homes so Hydrofluoric Acid, he intended to use it on some car parts to clean them. He put the chemical in a water bottle and took it home. He wanted to keep it cool, because it is a dangerous chemical so he put it in the refrigerator. His roommate was thirsty when he later came home from work and accidentally; Yah you guessed it. He drank it.
Being in the carwash business I heard the story, which is true and thought of the company in question and realized that this is not their first serious with regards to their use of hydrofluoric acid. The other lawsuit I had heard of was with rear view mirrors on trucks on freightliners by an OEM supplier, do not know if they decided to file or not. The company was not a franchise like our company, (truckwashguys.com) but they have a lot of locations.
Can you even imagine such a situation? That certainly is a terrible story? Drinking hydrofluoric acid internally? You would think you would smell it first? It is bad enough if you get it on your skin. I have before it makes a rash that will not quit, very painful, bad news, mean stuff. For their sake I hope the employee is charged with criminal negligence or murder rather than the company taking the hit? I can see a motor-head type employee stealing it for cleaning parts on an auto project, but surely they train their folks on how serious it is and dangerous? That is simply crazy stuff indeed.
How does one accidentally drink HF? Oh my god that is not even funny, I do not even believe he would qualify for the Darwin Awards? Well at least it probably killed him quickly? What a way to go? There are labels all over such products? But once the employee put it in a regular water bottle that blows the safety label warnings. I wonder if it was murder as it sounds like hanky panky, accident? Think on this, do not let chemicals off the property in your truck wash.
"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/