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Delta Air Lines Workers Sue Over ‘Toxic’ Uniforms

The lawsuit is a cautionary tale for the promotional products industry.

Vocal cord dysfunction, breathing difficulties, skin blisters, rashes, blurred vision, nosebleeds, ringing ears, migraines and fatigue.

That’s not a rundown of terrible winter flu. Rather, they are the symptoms Delta Air Lines employees say they’ve experienced as a result of company uniforms they allege are filled with dangerous levels of chemicals.

Lawsuit paperwork

And now, more than 500 Delta Air Lines workers – mainly flight attendants – are suing Lands’ End, the Wisconsin-based clothing brand that provided the custom uniforms.

Debuted in 2016, the uniforms have been required wear for Delta workers since May 2018. Filed in federal court in Wisconsin, the lawsuit asserts uniforms worn by flight attendants and some ground workers “pose an ongoing, unreasonable risk of physical harm ... including threatening the [employees] with future serious health problems because of an allergic and/or sensitization response.”

Furthermore, the suit states that tests employees had conducted on their uniforms found chemicals and heavy metals in the garments that exceed “accepted safe levels.” Chemicals include antimony, bromine, chromium, fluorine, formaldehyde and mercury.

Lands’ End told various media outlets that it doesn’t comment on pending litigation. CNN reported that Delta Air Lines, which is not named in the suit, released a statement that says the uniforms aren’t a health risk.

“Our top priority continues to be the safety of our employees, which is why we invested in a rigorous toxicology study to determine if there was a universal scientific issue with the uniform,” said the statement. “The results of the study confirm our uniforms meet the highest textile standards ... with the exception of the optional flight attendant apron, which we removed from the collection.”

A lawyer for the suing employees told CNN that beyond the plaintiffs named in the suit there are at least more than 500 additional Delta workers who have complained about the uniforms.