Nursing Home Employees and Residents Sickened by Lubricant Sprayed on Carts
A North Carolina nursing home had to be evacuated when a chemical or gas odor coming from the back of the building near the dining room caused two employees to become ill. Two area fire departments responded to the emergency call and immediately began going through the building, using their gas monitoring devices to determine the cause of the odor. The two employees were taken to the hospital and later released.
Staff and officials were in the process of evacuating and relocating the facility’s 94 residents when the source of the odor was discovered to be a lubricant that had been sprayed on the meal and push carts used throughout the facility. Almost half (44) of the residents had been moved when the cause of the odor was discovered.
The evacuation was a massive transportation undertaking involving the use of ambulances, area shuttles, and buses. Evacuated residents were returned to the facility soon after being moved, but four of those residents experienced distress and were taken to the hospital for further evaluation. Their conditions were not considered to be life-threatening.
The carts were removed and cleaned, and the area where the spraying occurred was cleaned and ventilated.
Compliance Perspective
Failure to ensure that materials used in a facility to clean or to maintain equipment do not contain hazardous chemicals that can pose a threat to the health and safety of both employees and residents may be deemed provision of substandard quality of care, in violation of state and federal regulations.
Discussion Points:
- Review policies and procedures to determine if there is a protocol for procuring products used throughout the facility by maintenance, housekeeping, and other staff to ensure they do not contain a hazardous chemical that when used may pose a health and safety risk to employees and residents.
- Train staff about the facility’s Emergency Response Plan and the protocols for responding to a situation like a hazardous chemical or gas leak, and the protocols for evacuating and preventing injury to the residents. Provide additional education to staff members regarding how to safely use products containing caustic chemicals that may be needed for certain maintenance and cleaning situations.
- Periodically audit the products being used to determine if protocols are followed when purchasing products to prevent any unnecessary purchase of items containing hazardous chemicals, and to ensure that the products are used according to manufacturer’s recommendations for personal protective equipment and ventilation.
