According to a recent lawsuit filed in Minnesota by a woman who claims Ecolab’s OxyCide cleaner left her with asthmatic and bronchitis symptoms, exposure to the cleaning product may be dangerous and result in serious side effects.

Former Hospital Worker Claims Cleaning Product OxyCide Caused Lung Cancer

Plaintiff Ruth U. filed her lawsuit against Minnesota-based Ecolab in May 2020 after experiencing what she claims are negative health side effects caused by her exposure to Ecolab’s hospital cleaning product. Ruth lives in North Carolina, and was a surgical technician supervisor at Carolina East Medical Center before recently retiring. During her time working in hospitals, Ruth was responsible for cleaning and teaching others how to clean hospital equipment. Although she was able to wear protective equipment while she used the cleaning chemicals, Ruth claims that she still experienced negative health side effects when she was exposed to OxyCide. These side effects included asthmatic and bronchitis symptoms, dry eyes, and itchy skin. Ruth also believes that her eventual diagnosis of lung cancer is related to her use of OxyCide.

Ruth claims the dangers associated with OxyCide are due to the presence of peracetic acid in the cleaning solution. Peracetic acid is a substance known to cause asthma, as well as other immune and respiratory responses. Despite these possible health consequences, the acid is very effective as a cleaning agent. Ecolab has marketed OxyCide as a one-stop hospital disinfectant cleaner that is capable of killing spores that may cause the dangerous infection C. diff, in addition to other viruses and bacteria. The product is also believed to be capable of disinfecting surfaces that have been infected with the coronavirus.

According to Ruth’s lawsuit, she is not the first hospital worker to have reported experiencing side effects from exposure to OxyCide. Since the product was distributed to medical centers in 2013, multiple other workers have made complaints regarding the product’s effects on their eyes, throats, and noses. Due to these complaints, Ruth is not only seeking compensation for her injuries, medical expenses, and pain and suffering, but is also demanding that Ecolab cease production of the product and/or provide warnings to hospital staff about the potential health consequences of exposure to OxyCide. According to her, simply providing cleaning staff with protective equipment may not be enough, as she still experienced breathing problems even when wearing protective gear.

Other hospital workers have also filed lawsuits against Ecolab regarding the cleaner, including one nurse from Los Angeles who claims that exposure to the substance left her with long term health consequences including breathing problems, nausea, and headaches. Other side effects that have been reported include nasal irritation, coughing, sneezing, and respiratory failure.

In addition to these lawsuits, more than 200 healthcare workers filed a complaint in 2015 with the Division of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regarding the cleaner. According to the workers, their health had also been harmed by exposure to OxyCide’s chemicals.

If you are a hospital worker who was exposed to Ecolab’s industrial cleaning product Oxycide and suffered from health consequences including breathing problems, skin burns and irritation, headaches, nausea, or a burning sensation in the nose or throat, you may be eligible to join or file a class action lawsuit against the manufacturer. Victims who speak with an experienced attorney about their legal options may be able to pursue compensation for injuries and medical expenses.

Ruth’s Oxycide Cleaner Lawsuit is Case No: 0:2020cv01090, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.

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