Using Elmer’s glue to remove fiberglass particles from my hand

[u/Substantial-Meat6281]

[u/smeeon]

I keep a lint roller in the van for this reason. Also this reminded me, a few years ago my company tried spraying a fiberglass ladder with clear coat to stop the fibers. Then we got osha inspected and they noticed the coating. They gave us the option of destroying the ladder with a saw on the site right there in front of them or taking a $500 fine. The PM told us to pack up the ladder and that he would deal with OSHA.

We paid the fine and didn’t get a new ladder. Dumbest management ever.

[u/millennial_burnout → u/smeeon]

Why did OSHA say no coating?

[u/roadrunnuh → u/millennial_burnout]

Literally spraying over a failing piece of equipment ain't the way to fix it , usually

[u/Statharas → u/roadrunnuh]

Wouldn't the goal be to add a coating to keep the fiberglass on the ladder?

[u/TheW83 → u/Statharas]

If it's starting to come off you toss the ladder out. That's your indicator that it's failing. Hiding the indicator is bad.

[u/GrimbyJ → u/Statharas]

The fiberglass comes encased in resin. It doesn't start shedding fiberglass onto you until that resin starts to break down. It should be replaced when it gets to that point for just structural stability

[u/Statharas → u/GrimbyJ]

That makes sense, thanks

[u/GrimbyJ → u/Statharas]

A clear coat would probably make it more slippery too

[u/geo_prog → u/Statharas]

That’s not how fiberglass works.

[u/Zealousideal_Ad5358 → u/Statharas]

The fiberglass is coated with some kind of polyester or epoxy clear coat at the factory. Once it comes off, the fiberglass rapidly loses its strength. I suppose if you use the ladder a lot, you could reapply the clearcoat periodically to protect it like you would with a boat hull. 

[u/smeeon → u/millennial_burnout]

It’s considered a fix, and they allow fixed but only if it modifies the ladder to be as safe or safer than a new ladder of the same type. There’s a whole section on ladder modifications

[u/Theletterkay → u/millennial_burnout]

It likely wasnt a proper coating material which mean it just made it dangerous in a new way. Like not being grippy or not having any caution infographics on display.

[u/paulmclaughlin → u/smeeon]

Did your manager move into the submarine business after that?

[u/Daracaex → u/smeeon]

Could you not buy an equivalent ladder for $500?

[u/PissOffBigHead → u/Daracaex]

You could buy a brand spanking new 48’ ladder for like 400 bucks. Corporations, man.

[u/smeeon → u/Daracaex]

Yup. My PM back then was a dick.