‘Chemical burns’: Delta flight attendants say new uniforms cause rashes

Over at the Guardian, Payday Senior Labor Reporter Mike Elk has an investigation into how Delta flight attendant uniforms made out of the formaldehyde are causing skin rashes for some of Delta’s flight attendants:

Last May, Delta unveiled a new set of slick purple uniforms designed by Bravo’s Project Runway star Zac Posen and manufactured by the retailer Land’s End.

The uniforms were designed to turn Delta’s 24,000 flight attendants into walking advertisements for the airline. Delta encouraged flight attendants to promote the new uniforms on their social media accounts.

Shortly after their introduction, some female flight attendants said that they started getting sick, reporting skin rashes, shortness of breath, and hair loss.

“I noticed right away after I put the uniforms on that I had shortness of breath and I have been a runner my whole life,” said one Delta flight attendant who spoke to the Guardian on condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation. “I don’t smoke or anything like that, so when I couldn’t get up the stairs without being extremely winded, I know there was some sort of problem.”

For more, go to the Guardian.