Labor Law Center Blog » Blog Archive » Illinois Toxic Chemical Problem

Illinois Toxic Chemical Problem

September 19th, 2007 Posted by Amelia

A near-fatal accident in Illinois highlights an increasing problem in worker safety across the nation. Patricia Gabrysiak called a plumber to install a pump in the basement of her Frankfort, Illinois home. After inspecting the basement, the plumber agreed to the work on Mrs. Gabrysiak’s home in the tree-shaded southwest suburb of Chicago. He left his tools, supplies and the pump, and agreed to return the next day for the installation.

Among the supplies that the plumber left in Mrs. Gabrysiak’s basement were three bottles. One was a gallon water jug, a second was a liter water bottle and the third was a ginger ale bottle. Unfortunately, the “ginger ale” bottle actually contained acid, which the plumber had purchased from a local auto parts store to put in the pump’s battery.

At some point during the evening, Mrs. Gabrysiak took a large swig from the ginger ale bottle, only to feel the searing acid wash down her throat. She was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital, where she was treated for severe burns of the esophagus and throat.

At some point, according to reports, a “third party” removed the “ginger ale” bottle from the basement work area to the kitchen of Mrs. Gabrysiak’s home. Finding the bottle in her kitchen, she took a big drink – and promptly collapsed.

According to worker safety experts, this sad incident represents a growing trend in the workplace. A number of workers and innocent bystanders have been injured when acid, pesticide or other toxic chemicals were stored in unlabeled or miss-labeled containers.

Recently, a six-year-old boy drank about 2 ounces of a potent pesticide stored in a water bottle. He is on a ventilator at the pediatric intensive care unit. The clear liquid looked exactly like water, to the naked eye.

Such accidents are on the rise, according to sources at OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. All too often workers store toxic chemicals in water bottles, milk jugs, soda containers, or sports bottles. Using such bottles for storage puts coworkers, the public and especially children at risk.

A variety of toxic or inflammable chemicals are widely used in industry. Dry cleaning solutions, pesticides, isopropyl alcohol, acids, gasoline, kerosene, cleaning solutions, paints and fuels. OSHA categorizes any substance that can cause serious harm as a hazardous chemical.

According to OSHA, toxic and inflammable chemicals should always be stored in properly labeled containers. If possible, the chemicals should be stored in their original containers. When chemicals are purchased in bulk quantities such as 55-gallon drums, this is not always possible. In those cases, the chemicals may be transferred to smaller containers, but the containers must be properly labeled. Often, labels are available at no additional charge from the manufacturer. Containers for hazardous chemicals should also have child-proof tops. Many chemical supply companies sell such containers at a nominal fee.

OSHA regulations require that a material safety data sheet, or MSDS, be on hand for every hazardous chemical in the workplace. MSDSs contain complete information about the dangers of a chemical, and steps to take if it is splashed on the skin, in the eye, or ingested accidentally. The MSDS sheet is available from the manufacturer of each product.

Employees must be trained to handle hazardous chemicals properly, including using appropriate labels and storage containers for the products. OSHA has established standards for safely handling hazardous chemicals in a variety of industry, from office products to dry cleaners and coal mines.

Generally, workplaces that utilize hazardous chemicals must take special safety precautions. One common precaution is the requirement for an eyewash station on site. This station contains sterilized water to quickly and thoroughly flush any hazardous chemicals out of the eye. Even when an eyewash station is used, however, the worker should still be taken to a hospital emergency room.