G
Gliggle
Guest
Hi Guys, I am seeking some advice.
I recently got a chemical in my eye at work. I had previously asked for safety glasses but been told I didn’t need them. The surface of my eye was slightly damaged but thankfully I have made a full recovery. I was in pain for about 4-5 days. Since then I discovered a risk assessment which I was supposed to have read and signed which no one showed me - that said I should be wearing safety glasses. I never did any induction - the woman who trained me also wears no safety glasses.
Anyway, the day after the incident, I ended up spending almost a whole day at a hospital clinic instead of work. I had been told the previous day by the Emergency room attending Doctor I needed to do that, and that I shouldn’t return to work that day.
I had assumed this day away from work would not be taken from my own entitlements, but I have been told by the “incident/injury manager” via email (I work for a large organisation) I have to put it down as sick leave. I have yet to respond to that email.
This doesn’t sit well with me - I have two small children who are frequently unwell and I use my sick leave to care for them (We are allowed to use our sick leave as carers leave as long as we have a certificate). Coincidentally I actually have no sick days left as of yesterday because one was sick - I have yet to enquire; but I am guessing this means now I will have to use my rec leave or do leave without pay for this now.
Either way - I feel this is an injustice as I worked dutifully in good faith and even enquired about safety glases. The day off I had was not a choice I made t relax, I was told to do it by a Doctor at the hospital the previous day, and it was no walk in the park, about 4 hours in a waiting room before I could be seen - add to that about 8 hours in emergency the previous day.
So here is my question, do I go to the union and risk long term bullying and possibly losing my job? Or do I just take the hit to my paypacket/rec leave? Its kind of the principle of the thing too, I feel like I am being penalised for something my employer did wrong. I am pretty sure my employer must be doing this so that they do not have to report the incident to the suitbale authorities (although I am not sure how it all works). Or maybe they are just trying to keep their insuranfce premiums low.
I really welcome your advice. I feel like I am bullied alot in work situations as I am a timid person - I feel like this is just another in a long line of mistreatments from various employers, and I can’t stop feeling angry about it and thinking about it. I have bene used as a scapegoat more than once in my past work life. So I also feel the need to protect myself if I can - taking this day as sick leave feels like I am accepting some responsibility for what occured.
I want to enjoy some time I have with my children today but I can’t stop feeling angry, and I haven’t been sleeping because of it. I don’t know how much of what I am feeling is because I have been bullied so often in past jobs I have some feelings built up - I can’t untangle it.
There is also another employee at this job who is working hard to cast blame on others including myself - because safety in the lab is his responsibility. This is also causing stress - furthermore the organisation has done very little to address the safety issues that this has thrown up so far too (NUMEROUS others - some quite serious). I don’t even really blame the other employee - I have realised he is not actually PAID or allocated time to look after the safety in the lab this occured in. It’s considered a voluntary role which he should just feel warm and fuzzy about doing. I feel he has not been put in a good position either. They are cost cutting on it.
I am really alarmed by the whole thing. I had been following procedure exactly. I am feeling like it might even not be such a bad thing if I lose this job as I no longer feel completely safe where I work - we use many toxic gases, and asphyxiation like Helium and Nitrogen in our experiments - and so if a small things like this happens and no one does anything/cares, it seems only a matter of time before something much worse than a minor eye injury occurs. But then I wonder if that is selfish of me. I am also helping to support a family and I have a very specialized skill-set which makes it hard for me to find work. So I am wondering would it be irresponsible of me to argue the toss on this? I am actually on probation because I only started this job three months ago (a reason I didnt have so much sick leave built up anyway). So it really could be risky move for me. I am finding it hard to see clearly or make decisions through my built up issues from past workplace bullying, which is why I really need your help. All I really want at the end of the day is to do God’s will - But Gods will is always very unclear to me!
I am also in some spiritual anguish lately because I am finding it hard to pray and concentrate right now - I would appreciate your prayers too if you have any for me
I recently got a chemical in my eye at work. I had previously asked for safety glasses but been told I didn’t need them. The surface of my eye was slightly damaged but thankfully I have made a full recovery. I was in pain for about 4-5 days. Since then I discovered a risk assessment which I was supposed to have read and signed which no one showed me - that said I should be wearing safety glasses. I never did any induction - the woman who trained me also wears no safety glasses.
Anyway, the day after the incident, I ended up spending almost a whole day at a hospital clinic instead of work. I had been told the previous day by the Emergency room attending Doctor I needed to do that, and that I shouldn’t return to work that day.
I had assumed this day away from work would not be taken from my own entitlements, but I have been told by the “incident/injury manager” via email (I work for a large organisation) I have to put it down as sick leave. I have yet to respond to that email.
This doesn’t sit well with me - I have two small children who are frequently unwell and I use my sick leave to care for them (We are allowed to use our sick leave as carers leave as long as we have a certificate). Coincidentally I actually have no sick days left as of yesterday because one was sick - I have yet to enquire; but I am guessing this means now I will have to use my rec leave or do leave without pay for this now.
Either way - I feel this is an injustice as I worked dutifully in good faith and even enquired about safety glases. The day off I had was not a choice I made t relax, I was told to do it by a Doctor at the hospital the previous day, and it was no walk in the park, about 4 hours in a waiting room before I could be seen - add to that about 8 hours in emergency the previous day.
So here is my question, do I go to the union and risk long term bullying and possibly losing my job? Or do I just take the hit to my paypacket/rec leave? Its kind of the principle of the thing too, I feel like I am being penalised for something my employer did wrong. I am pretty sure my employer must be doing this so that they do not have to report the incident to the suitbale authorities (although I am not sure how it all works). Or maybe they are just trying to keep their insuranfce premiums low.
I really welcome your advice. I feel like I am bullied alot in work situations as I am a timid person - I feel like this is just another in a long line of mistreatments from various employers, and I can’t stop feeling angry about it and thinking about it. I have bene used as a scapegoat more than once in my past work life. So I also feel the need to protect myself if I can - taking this day as sick leave feels like I am accepting some responsibility for what occured.
I want to enjoy some time I have with my children today but I can’t stop feeling angry, and I haven’t been sleeping because of it. I don’t know how much of what I am feeling is because I have been bullied so often in past jobs I have some feelings built up - I can’t untangle it.
There is also another employee at this job who is working hard to cast blame on others including myself - because safety in the lab is his responsibility. This is also causing stress - furthermore the organisation has done very little to address the safety issues that this has thrown up so far too (NUMEROUS others - some quite serious). I don’t even really blame the other employee - I have realised he is not actually PAID or allocated time to look after the safety in the lab this occured in. It’s considered a voluntary role which he should just feel warm and fuzzy about doing. I feel he has not been put in a good position either. They are cost cutting on it.
I am really alarmed by the whole thing. I had been following procedure exactly. I am feeling like it might even not be such a bad thing if I lose this job as I no longer feel completely safe where I work - we use many toxic gases, and asphyxiation like Helium and Nitrogen in our experiments - and so if a small things like this happens and no one does anything/cares, it seems only a matter of time before something much worse than a minor eye injury occurs. But then I wonder if that is selfish of me. I am also helping to support a family and I have a very specialized skill-set which makes it hard for me to find work. So I am wondering would it be irresponsible of me to argue the toss on this? I am actually on probation because I only started this job three months ago (a reason I didnt have so much sick leave built up anyway). So it really could be risky move for me. I am finding it hard to see clearly or make decisions through my built up issues from past workplace bullying, which is why I really need your help. All I really want at the end of the day is to do God’s will - But Gods will is always very unclear to me!
I am also in some spiritual anguish lately because I am finding it hard to pray and concentrate right now - I would appreciate your prayers too if you have any for me
