3ms Athersone was somewhere I enjoyed working back in 1996 to 1999.
Until I had a respiratory attack and was told I couldn't work back at the plant as it was chemically dangerous for me to be there.. The plant spewd out dust and chemicals from its chimneys at night. And paid annual fines that the local council seemed to accept as normal.
I know, as I worked in those Ovens, and because they didn't even know the safety levels in their own factory, as soon as I was laid off medically.. and started legal proceedings.. they then put pressure on for me to come back dispite medical reports, and sacked me when I wouldn't.
I later found out that after id finisged, the ovens I worked in were no longer monitored by an oven operator going in and out to maintain and run them, as the risk to health was found to be unacceptable.
This I might add, only followed the company doing tests with equipment brought into where I actually worked, but even the operator of that equipment.. wouldn't go into the ovens where I worked 7 days abd nights a week over 3 years minimum 12hrs but sometines up to 18 hrs a shift.
A fellow employee contacted me shortly after my finishing with some profs reports about our work area.
It turned out the previous safety officer.. in charge of our health and safety.. had no training, abd her previous employment was selling tuppaware.. So not qualified at all.
In the profs during my period of illness. She was asked about the safety levels in the ovens, that were then known as the 'Backrack' She said she simply didn't know as no tests were carried out prior to my employment in that area.
So 25 years on, and I'm disabled. Retired suffering respiratory trouble on a daily basis. My surgery advised me to re-start my suing the company, as cause was proved and only liability was left to prove. Which obviously would be probably easier to prove now.
It's a shame!!
3ms Atherstone was great when nothing was wrong, but as soon as I became ill and had to finish... The company closed ranks, even using their own on site physician and nurse to back their opinions regarding my health and working in the ovens. Dispite the fact my own doctors and the hospital at that time told them otherwise in communications and phone calls.
I hope that everyone that unfortunately lost their jobs or had to leave, have come through everything ok.
But for me it ruined my life.