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Suggest what we can do, and info to support or detract from Sam’s claims. Thx.
For related info, link : here --here-- here & here
Was talking to a person who works at the Abercrombie and Fitch warehouse in New Albany. Don’t want to disclose their identity or even their gender. This person is concerned about being fired for speaking out.
(Using for this post a gender neutral name), Sam said the company is spraying the inside of the building with a concentrated version of it’s Fierce fragrance for men.
“There might be studies about colognes and perfumes having toxics in them. But the cologne, Fierce, that you get in a bottle might not be as much of an issue, for all I know. But they’re spraying it like a fog every day. That’s not the same thing as a little spritz. Should I have to breathe that when I’m at work and have it in my skin and in my eyes?”
Sam said supervisors will not allow the wearing of a respirator.
“They say it will ‘cause a panic.’ When I tell them it’s making me sick, they say, ‘it’s unfortunate,’ but go on to do pretty much nothing about it. What I say is, ‘it’s unfortunate we can’t have some honesty around here.’”
Sam said s/he is having an allergic reaction. Sam’s kidneys and feet ache and Sam’s hands had swollen, (though I didn’t observe swelling when we spoke). Sam suspects the spray is affecting other employees, including pregnant women. But some, if not many of them, might be unaware that they’re being exposed, if they’re not being alerted by their own allergic reactions, said Sam.
Though concerned about other employees Sam is concerned about being fired for speaking out. S/he prefers to not make waves, even though there already has been at least some news reports about this during the past couple of years.
“ The customers can leave the stores or not shop there. Or the brand zombies can hurry in and out to get their shirt. A lot of them probably don’t know or don’t care. But if they do, they can go home and wash off the chemicals. But what about the workers? It’s not that easy to just leave your job.”
Sam said s/he is getting advice from a civil rights attorney.
“The attorney is saying wait and see if my supervisors are going to cooperate with me. I asked them for an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet). They said they’d give it to me. I want to know what exactly I’m being exposed to. What’s in it that’s making me sick.”
Sam said the chemicals are timer-released from sprayers mounted in the ceiling.
“It’s not like a spray from a perfume bottle you can smell a few feet away. It’s a fog inside the building. When you’re outside, you can smell it 30 feet away.”
Sam said the chemicals are adversely affecting nearby wildlife.
“After they started spraying, I haven’t seen any squirrels or rabbits around the building. I’ve seen some deer come near and snort, like a mad bull. I think it’s because they’re picking up the scent.”
In lieu of having an MSDS, Sam has read warnings on the label of one of the bottles of what s/he says is a concentrated version of the men’s fragrance, Fierce.
“This is what they’re spraying from the ceiling on their employees. The label on the bottle says it’s highly flammable and poses extreme hazards to aquatic life. It says to avoid long-term exposure and use it in a well-ventilated area. That’s not what they’re doing. They’re spraying in the building without any good exhaust ventilation. We’re in there for hours, day after day. Multiply that by however many weeks.”
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