Gun range sued by former employees for alleged lead exposure
Feb 13, 2013, 6:41 AM | Updated: 7:43 am
After several workers became ill, employees of Wade's Guns say they underwent blood tests that came up positive for unhealthy levels of lead. They were relieved of their duties, and now they're suing. They say they were fired for blowing the whistle about lead exposure.
It’s not unusual to see a lot of lead flying around Wade’s Eastside Guns and Bellevue Indoor Range. But eight former employees say too much of that dangerous mineral made its way into their bloodstream.
“There was zero education on how to reduce the risk of lead exposure,” former employee Matt Olson tells KING 5.
Olson is one of the employees who says he was fired for blowing the whistle on a remodeling project that led to several workers becoming ill.
They complained of everything from body aches to insomnia. A few even underwent blood tests that came back positive for high levels of lead.
The owner of Wade’s Guns, Wade Gaughran, says he did everything he could to keep his worker’s safe, but they didn’t always listen to safety instructions.
“You tell everybody how to do it. You teach them how to do it. You tell them how important it is. You turn around, and their mask is around their neck,” says Gaughran.
Gaughran says the workers were let go because business was slow.
The former employees have filed a lawsuit in King County Superior Court claiming they were fired for being whistle blowers.
The Washington State Department of Labor and the King County Health Department are also investigating.
