Although the cleaning solution OxyCide is supposed to make hospitals cleaner and safer for patients, health care staff members who are exposed to the industrial cleaning product may be at risk of experiencing negative impacts on their health.

What is OxyCide Cleaner?

OxyCide cleaner is a relatively new hospital cleaning substance. It was introduced to the market in 2013 as a non-bleach disinfectant cleaner and deodorizer for hospitals and other medical centers. The industrial cleaning product is manufactured by Ecolab, which claims that the substance is effective at disinfecting surfaces, as well as killing Clostridium difficile spores, which cause the dangerous infection C. diff.

It is important for hospitals to use cleaning substances capable of killing C. diff spores, as the contagious condition costs the healthcare industry approximately $1.5 billion every year, as well as killing 15,000 people annually.

However, according to some housekeeping workers at hospitals that use OxyCide, the cleaning product may be making them sick. Although Ecolab claims that it is unnecessary to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) while cleaning with OxyCide, some people claim that the cleaning substance may be too harsh to use without protective gear, and may cause harmful and negative impacts on health.

Indeed, OxyCide’s active ingredients include hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid, and a combination of these chemicals called peracetic acid (also referred to as peroxyacetic acid, or PAA). PAA is a common disinfectant ingredient, but it is also a toxin and can cause serious symptoms even when the user is only exposed to low levels of the chemical. High levels of exposure may cause more severe symptoms.

What Are the OxyCide Cleaner Side Effects?

Although OxyCide has been touted as a powerful cleaning agent, the strong chemicals in the cleaner may be harsh on workers’ skin, eyes, and nasal passages. Some workers who use OxyCide claim that the exposure to the cleaner results in respiratory issues and difficulty breathing.

Other workers have reported eye irritation, runny or burning nose, headaches, nose bleeds, or vomiting. Additionally, direct contact with the chemicals that make up OxyCide may result in severe burns, allergic reactions, and hazardous health effects to the eyes, skin, digestive organs, and respiratory organs. High exposure levels can reportedly lead to hemorrhage, edema, and consolidation of the lungs.

Some of these side effects may resolve on their own after the user moves away from the product and into an area with fresh air, but others may be permanent side effects, especially after long-term exposure.

Due to these alleged complications, workers from at least one medical center have protested the use of the cleaning agent. As the cleaning product is still fairly new to the market, it is unknown what the long term effects of OxyCide exposure may be.

Workers who have suffered from OxyCide cleaner side effects may be able to hire an experienced attorney to review their case and determine whether they qualify to file an OxyCide lawsuit.

If you are exposed to OxyCide cleaners, especially on a regular basis, watch out for these potential side effects:

• Breathing problems
• Asthma-like symptoms
• Shortness of breath
• Burning throat
• Stinging and watering eyes
• Headaches
• Skin burns
• Coughing or wheezing
• Chronic respiratory problems
• Cracked hands and nails
• Runny nose
• Sore throat
• Loss of voice
• Upset stomach
• Nausea
• Raw lips
• Sores

OxyCide Litigation

Several employees at medical centers using OxyCide cleaning solution have already taken legal action over the cleaner. In addition to Ecolab’s responsibility to warn health care providers of the potential dangers and side effects associated with OxyCide, hospitals and medical centers must also ensure a safe working environment for employees.

Indeed, under Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) laws, workers should provide safe and healthy working conditions for their employees, and violations of these requirements should be brought to the attention of your employer, if possible, as well as reported to OSHA by filing a complaint.

Workers may fear retaliation from their employers if they report issues at work, such as being fired, demoted, or transferred, but employees are allowed by law to file these kinds of reports and are protected by anti-retaliation laws.

Penalties for violating OSHA laws include:

• Up to $7,000 for violations “other than serious”
• Up to $7,000 for serious violations
• Up to $70,000 for willful violations (those made knowingly)
• Repeated violations after failure to correct can be penalized up to $7,000 per day

After exposure to OxyCide, plaintiffs have alleged that they have suffered a variety of health complications, which in some cases have led to permanent and disabling injuries, lawsuits claim. And despite allegations of complications along with studies linking OxyCide with health problems, Ecolab continues to sell OxyCide all across the country without properly warning of these risks. At least one plaintiff has said that exposure to OxyCide has caused neurological symptoms, and another said her symptoms forced her to quit her job because of the health problems she was experiencing.

Oxycide Lawsuits

In May 2020, a California hospital employee challenged Ecolab in a lawsuit, saying her use of OxyCide on the job caused her a range of problems. She asserts that Ecolab did not sufficiently disclose the health risks of its popular cleaning product. This Oxycide lawsuit is just the latest in a string of complaints about the cleaner.

The lawsuit was filed in Minnesota federal court. The employee has argued that the company intentionally misrepresented its product as safer than it is, breached warranty with those who purchased the products, and produced a product possessing manufacturing and design defects. She has also asked the court to prevent Ecolab from selling the popular cleaning agent moving forward. She has asked the court to award her damages to compensate for the injuries that she says she suffered from her use of OxyCide.

She asserts that had she known that OxyCide was dangerous to her health, she would not have agreed to use it or would have taken additional measures beyond those recommended by Ecolab to protect herself from the product. 

Allegedly, Ecolab represented OxyCide as being as safe as alternatives, though this was allegedly not the case. According to the employee, the company actively avoided investigation into the safety of OxyCide, and did not disclose that there were health risks associated with product, despite complaints from users. According to the worker, the company continued to market and sell OxyCide even though there were less harmful products available.

Her Ecolab OxyCide Cleaner Lawsuit is Case No. 0:20-cv-01126, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.

Filing an OxyCide Lawsuit

Healthcare staff who have suffered from OxyCide side effects such as breathing problems, sores, and skin burns may be entitled to compensation for their injuries, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. Of course, filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by these kinds of health compensation, but hiring a qualified attorney to review your case may be the first step towards pursuing recompense.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, especially while dealing with health complications, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.