Showa clothing accessories

The reports, as CPSC published them

1. Seen by a doctor or nurse

   Made Mar 7, 2024 · , sent to the company Mar 15, 2024 · , published by CPSC Mar 29, 2024

   The product, in the report: Showa Chem Resistant 3415-11/XL gloves

   12/28/23 -- Got Showa Chem Resistant 3415 gloves out of vending machine. By end of day tips of fingers began peeling. 12/29/23 -- Reported to management regarding excessive peeling of skin from hands & feet. 1/3/24 -- Left work early because hands and feet were hurting. 1/8/24 -- Contacted Telehealth regarding excessive peeling, bubbling and oozing of skin on hands & feet. Prescription for Chloroprene was called into pharmacy. Told to use for two weeks. Was not a prescription, was an over the counter medication. [REDACTED] only sold 0.5 oz tubes which only lasted 1 day because of being needed on both hands and both feet. Ordered 6 tubes from [REDACTED]. 1/17/24 -- Left hand split open along radial longitudinal crease. Right hand split open along proximal transverse crease. Told my manager that I would not be into work and that I thought problem was the new gloves. Was told that they would have new gloves for me when I returned to work. 1/23/24 -- Condition worsened over the weekend. Went to [REDACTED]. First doctor asked what I had been burned with. Called in second doctor, together they determined I needed to see a specialist. Gave me two shots, one antibiotic, one steroid and three prescriptions. Set appointment for 1/25 with dermatologist. Spoke with my manager, told him about doctors visit and that both doctors had asked me what I had burned my hands with. Told him I think its the new gloves. Was told that they would have new gloves for me when I returned to work. 1/25/24 -- Dermatologist determined it was dermal absorption of chemicals from either the new gloves or working in cement. I was told that I needed to find a specialist. Dermatologist did not give me a referral. Received another prescription and told I could return to work when I felt up to it. Called my manager and explained what was going on and that I would like to return to work on 1/29. Received a call from the safety manager, told him the results and that I would like to return to work on 1/29. Explained to him that I’m pretty sure it was the gloves and that I would be needing those gloves for testing. At that time the safety manager stated that the company would be taking care of my medical bills and possibly my missed wages. 1/26/24 -- Received a text message from a dispatcher asking where the gloves were at. Told her they were in my truck number ***. She messaged me back that the gloves were not in my truck. She stated that she would ask another driver to check the truck for the gloves because the other driver was driving the truck. I called another driver because he had driven my truck on 1/25 and asked him about the gloves. He said that he had not seen any gloves in the truck. Received call from the safety manager stating that case had been submitted to workman’s comp insurance and that I could not return to work until I visited their doctor and was released by him. Told him that the gloves were missing from the truck. He sent me a picture that he took at 3:30 am of a bag of fiber and the gloves in the truck. Told him that I need the gloves so that I can get them tested. Went to the safety manager’s office to drop off medical bills. He stated that he would not give me the gloves but that I could take a picture of them. I had a Ziploc with me so that I could take the gloves. Told him that the gloves needed to be sealed in a bag to protect them. He would not put the gloves in a bag. 1/30/24 -- Was seen by work-comp doctor. He took swabs of hands and feet and called in a prescription. Stated that I am not to return to work, not to wear gloves or boots, until after follow up visit. Follow up scheduled for 2/6/24. 2/6/24 -- Visited the workman’s comp doctor. Test results did not show anything specific. Diagnosis codes used are B35.4 Tinea Corporis, L20.9 Atopic dermatitis and L25.9 Unspecified contact dermatitis. Referred back to Premier Medical, Dermatologist. Told not to return to work unless I received written release and after being released by the workman’s comp doctor. 2/8/24 -- Dermatologist stated that the dermal absorbed chemical had caused an autoimmune disease and that I need to find a specialist. He gave me written release to return to work beginning 2/12. He did not give me a referral to a specialist. 2/12/24 -- Returned to work. Was told that I really shouldn’t be at work but because I was, I was not to touch any cement or any chemicals. Was informed that a representative from Showa Glove Co. would be at my place of employments offices on 2/15. Was not invited to the meeting. 2/14/24 -- After work I went to the safety manager’s office and demanded that the gloves be sealed before anyone from Showa Glove Co. got near them. After explaining spoliation law to him, he agreed to seal the gloves into an envelope. Was told by the safety manager that they, the company, really didn’t want me working because of the chemicals and the fact that the skin on my hands tears so easily. I told him that I would be present at the meeting with Showa. 2/15/24 -- Was introduced to the Showa salesman, but not the other man that was with him. The salesman said he was just a salesman and that had never seen anything like my condition before. Requested a list of all the chemicals that Showa uses to manufacture their gloves. Was told that he would get it for me. He saw that I had a list of possible chemicals and requested a copy of the list. Found out after the meeting because the other guy gave the safety manager his card that he is the vice president of Showa. During the meeting the vice president kept staring at my hands. His suggestion to me while talking about my injury is that I get another steroid shot. 2/16/24 -- Received a group email from Showa stating that they want the gloves for testing or at the very least that they need the date code off the palm of the gloves. Set it up with the safety manager to come into his office to open and reseal the gloves after finding the date code. Told the safety manager that Showa is not to get those gloves. If they need a portion of a glove that I would come back in and take pictures of the envelope being opened again. the safety manager stated that 72 pairs of gloves had been taken out of the vending machine.

   The toxin has spread through out my body, it is causing sores on my thighs and back, my hands and feet can not maintain enough skin to protect them so they split open very easily, the skin on my scalp is starting to fall off in chunks. Showa has stopped communications with me. I have contacted several testing labs but because of the cost of testing they will not test the gloves until I get a list of possible chemicals. I have contacted many doctors and they have all stated that there is nothing they can do to help me because it is beyond their scope of medicine. Both of the toxicologist I contacted stated they only deal with emergency contact with toxins that there isn’t anything that can be done after it has gone through my body. I was denied workman’s comp because the doctors state that my condition is undetermined. The company I work for has not paid for any medical bills. I am still unable to work because I can not do much with my hands or they split open. I can not be on my feet for to long a period or they split open. I have gotten blood work done on my own, it shows five abnormalities. I can not find a doctor to take my case because of the toxins. I can not get a lawyer to take my case because of the toxins. I can not get Showa Group to give me any information about the toxins.

   Model

   3415-11/XL

   Serial number

   07/2023

   Bought from

   DZ Concrete

   Bought

   Dec 28, 2023

   Where

   Sumterville, Florida: Industrial

   Who was involved

   Age 57, Male

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   Brand Showa, made or sold by SHOWA International

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, Seen by Medical Professional

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources