17 Secret Facts from Industry Insiders Most of Us Poor Souls Don't Know

Most major industries have secret dark sides they'd rather the rest of us not know about.

Published 4 months ago in Wow

Have you ever worked a job that went off without any hiccoughs?

I highly doubt it, and most major industries have secret dark sides they'd rather the rest of us not know about.

But people can talk to each other, and these 17 industry insiders spilled the beans about the secrets most of us poor souls just don't know.

1
Lifeguard: Drowning is Quiet
“I cannot explain to you how quiet and how fast drowning is. There's nothing. You might get some splashing right at the beginning if someone's just panicking; but I've seen an adult man get into trouble with absolutely no sound. They don’t even yell.”

2
Librarian: Bed Bugs
“As a librarian, you'd be horrified how many books we get returned and have to throw out because they're absolutely covered in bed bugs. We put a block on accounts and notify patrons, but I'm specifically told not to mention this problem to the public whatsoever by management.”

3
Hospital: Supplies
“Supply coordinator for a hospital here. Our supplies are ridiculously cheap. That IV you were charged $1000 for? We paid 79 cents for it. We get diapers for about $1 per case.”
4
Construction: Manholes
“Climbing into an unventilated manhole can kill you in seconds and you wouldn't even know anything was seriously wrong. You think that's air you're breathing now? Manholes can fill with gases that are heavier than breathable air. You think you are breathing normally but instead you fall unconscious and suffocate from lack of oxygen.”

5
Public Service: Homelessness
“I work in homelessness. There’s lots of ‘scary’ stuff about this work that people are probably aware of, but I learned the most shocking thing pretty early on. There are lots and lots of reasons that people experiencing homelessness may be dirty, but for many it helps keep them from getting assaulted.
6
Banking: Fraud
“I used to work in banking and it was eye opening to see how many people were victims of fraud, how little recourse there is to get the money back, and how little the police can do for you too.”
7
Restaurants: Cooking Fish
“The amount of worms in fish from the ocean is astonishing. I once had to explain that a specific fish (monchong AKA Sickle Pomfret), is very prone to parasites and worms, and while perfectly safe and delicious fully cooked, is not a good option for sashimi or less than well done.”

8
Healthcare: Complications
“As a nurse, it's unsettling how many patients I've seen who come in for routine procedures and end up with life-altering complications. It's often a result of rushed care or overlooked details. People assume hospitals are infallible, but the reality is that even in the best facilities, human error can lead to devastating outcomes. Always advocate for your health and never hesitate to ask questions.”
9
Education: Reading
“A lot of people don't realize it, but graduation success rate can basically be predicted completely based on their 3rd grade reading ability. Early education is important.”
10
Mechanic: Friendliness
“As a mechanic, I have to say that the colder and more distant a mechanic is, the more likely they are to be honest. It's the really friendly ones who are ripping you off while they're being chummy with you.”

11
Household Appliances: Laundry
“The special detergent pods that are very popular right now will eventually clog your machine with microplastics from the outer coatings.”
12
Food: Packing
“You know how you worry about getting your frozen and refrigerated groceries home and put away before they spoil? Overnight stockers don’t.”
13
Nurse: Death
“I am a nurse. People know when they’re going to die. They will straight up tell you, “today is my last day, thank you for being kind,” and you reassure them because their vitals are good and they are taking to treatment well. But then, inevitably, you will hear a flatline on the machine and run in and sure enough that patient has passed away.

If it hadn’t happened SO many times, I would chalk it up to a few people who just didn’t have the will to live anymore, but I’ve seen it enough. Really creepy when you think about it too hard.

14
IT: The Internet
“The entirety of the internet is held together by a very outdated and very vulnerable routing protocol.”
15
Child Protection: Harm
“I used to work in child protection. The people most likely to harm your child, or you, are people you already know, most likely family members. You can bar the door against bad men lurking in dark alleys, but when you do, remember who you’re locking in with you.”
16
Nurse: Elder Care
“I worked in in-home senior care for hospice patients for several years. I had to quit because of the psychological toll. I wasn’t even a nurse, just a caregiver for dying rich people essentially, but the horrific things I saw other “caregivers” and some nurses do really scarred me. Theft, neglect, abuse.”

17
Education: Kids These Days
“Kids are incredibly, incredibly behind where they should be in terms of education levels and they just keep getting pushed through. As in, I have a graduating high school senior that doesn't know what 5 x 4 is and can't pronounce the word "illuminate."