Accident: 170737019 - Ill After Ingesting Insecticide

At 6:30 a.m., Employee #1, of Gene Jackson Farms, entered a 20 ft by 20 ft chemical storage shed to find an insecticide. He carried a cup of coffee into the shed, sat it down on the bags of chemicals, and began moving the bags around to find the chemical he needed. He picked up a 2 lb bag of Lannate insecticide (1644 methomyl) that had been improperly stored outside its labeled, waterproof aluminum foil container. The water-soluble bag, softened by exposure to uncontrolled environment, broke when handled, spilling dust over several square feet of the shed. Approximately half the bag was spilled. Some insecticide spilled into Employee #1's coffee, which he later drank. As his throat began to close, Employee #1 grabbed the label from an undisturbed container that listed an antidote, and drove himself 20 minutes to a hospital.

agriculture, insecticide, spill, work rules, throat, poisoning, housekeeping

Accident: 170727614 - Suffers Overexposure To Spilled Insecticide

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS SWEEPING THE FLOOR OF A WAREHOUSE WHEN THE BROOM HANDLE KNOCKED A 1 QUART GLASS BOTTLE OF ORTHO FLY-KILLER-D FROM A 2-INCH BY 6-INCH HORIZONTAL BUILDING STRUCTURAL MEMBER. THE BOTTLE FELL APPROXIMATELY 3 1/2 FEET TO THE CONCRETE FLOOR, THE PLASTIC CAP CAME OFF, AND APPROXIMATELY 1 CUP OF LIQUID INSECTICIDE SPILLED ON THE FLOOR. EMPLOYEE #1 PICKED UP THE BOTTLE, SET IT UPRIGHT ON A METAL FREEZER, AND CALLED THE EMPLOYEE MANAGER FOR HELP. THE EMPLOYEE MANAGER COVERED THE SPILL WITH A GENEROUS QUANTITY OF KITTY LITTER ABSORBENT AND TOLD EMPLOYEES TO LEAVE THE AREA DUE TO THE SMELL. EMPLOYEE #1 STATED THAT HIS SHOES AND PANT CUFFS GOT INSECTICIDE ON THEM, BUT HE TOLD NO ONE ELSE AT THE TIME. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES, THE SALES MANAGER ADVISED EMPLOYEE #1 TO EVENTUALLY SWEEP UP THE LITTER IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE THE ODOR. THE SALES MANAGER THEN RETURNED TO THE SALES DESK, BUT EMPLOYEE #1 IMMEDIATELY BEGAN SWEEPING UP. HE REPORTED TO ANOTHER EMPLOYEE THAT HE WAS SHORT OF BREATH AND HAD CHEST PAINS AND NAUSEA. HE ALSO REPORTED FEELING NUMBNESS IN HIS LEGS. THE SALES MANAGER CALLED 911 AND PARAMEDICS TOOK EMPLOYEE #1 TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, WHERE HE WAS WASHED DOWN, EXAMINED, TESTED, AND SENT HOME. THE EMPLOYER DID NOT FOLLOW THE MANUFACTURER'S LABEL INSTRUCTIONS TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER HOTLINE FOR SKIN CONTAMINATION CLEANUP INSTRUCTIONS.

work rules, insecticide, overexposure, spill, lung, chest, leg, nausea, respiratory, chemical vapor

Accident: 170060966 - Overexposed To Insecticide

At approximately 9:30 a.m. on May 27, 1993, employees in the northwest corner of the facility started smelling a bug spray odor. Pest Control was on site spraying the exterior of the building with the insecticide, Diazinon 4E. The exterminator had begun spraying at about 9:15 a.m. The odor eventually spread throughout the Reservations floor. Employees became nauseated and light headed and asked permission to go outside for fresh air. The fire department was contacted to treat personnel. After the facility was totally evacuated and all personnel were in the parking area, others began to get sick with a variety of symptoms. EMS units were called to assist. Employees were told to go to the doctor if necessary and many were transported by ambulance to the hospital. Sixty-four employees were treated at different medical facilities in the area. Two employees were hospitalized--Employee # 11 with an irregular heart beat and Employee #20 for unstable respiration.

overexposure, inhalation, dizziness, insecticide, nausea, ventilation, work rules