It can take powerful chemical cleaners to kill germs and bacteria found in hospitals and medical centers, but some workers say one product is injuring the cleaning staff who use it. 

Several U.S. hospital custodial workers have filed lawsuits against Ecolab, manufacturer of the one-step disinfectant and deodorizer OxyCide, over claims that their exposure to the cleaner damaged their skin, made them sick and possibly caused them to develop lung cancer.

What Does Ecolab Do?

Ecolab makes a wide variety of health, food safety, and water safety products, including cleaning products, and markets them to the healthcare, food, hospitality, and industrial industries across the world.

According to Ecolab’s website, its products and services “advance food safety, maintain clean and safe environments, optimize water and energy use, and improve operational efficiencies and sustainability.”

Ecolab is one of the largest providers of cleaning and hygiene products to U.S. hospitals and medical facilities. It also manufactures the controversial cleaning product OxyCide.

Why are Hospital Workers Filing Ecolab Lawsuits?

In 2015, a group of 200 workers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center filed complaints with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) claiming their health was endangered due to exposure to OxyCide, which they were required to use in the course of their jobs.  The employees reported an array of adverse health effects, including breathing and eye problems, headaches, nausea, and skin irritation they said was caused by the powerful disinfectant.

They said patients were also affected.

A few months later, OSHA announced it had concluded its investigation of the complaints, but issued no findings or violations because, it said, it didn’t have a way to test for levels of one of the chemicals in OxyCide – peracetic acid – according to the Pittsburgh City Paper. Without the right testing, OSHA was unable to determine if the employees were exposed to a dangerous amount of that chemical.

Since then, multiple Ecolab lawsuits have been filed over OxyCide. In July, a custodial worker at Johns Hopkins University Hospital filed a federal lawsuit claiming the cleaner caused her to suffer headaches, dizziness, eye problems, skin irritation and discoloration, and at one point, made her lips swell so much that the woman’s employer documented the reaction.

In another of the Ecolab lawsuits, a retired surgical technician supervisor in North Carolina claimed her exposure to OxyCide in the workplace caused bronchitis, asthma symptoms, dry eyes, and itchy skin. She also alleged the lung cancer she was later diagnosed with is related to her use of OxyCide at work.

What are Some OxyCide Dangers?

OxyCide is a powerful cleaner and disinfectant. It’s sold in a concentrated form that Ecolab says should be diluted at a rate of 3 ounces per gallon of water to be safe, yet effective. The solution is so potent that even when diluted at the prescribed level, in three minutes it can kill some of the most dangerous viruses found in hospitals, including the often-debilitating Clostridium difficile gastrointestinal virus, HIV and some influenza strains. And in five minutes, OxyCide kills hepatitis B and C spores, Ecolab says.

With all that power comes the potential for injury.

OxyCide is designed to be sprayed on hard, nonporous surfaces such as counters, floors, sinks, and furniture, according to Ecolab. While the company says it does not damage furnishings or clothing, the concentrated solution is toxic if inhaled and can cause severe skin burns.

The product’s specification sheet also advises users “do not breathe vapor spray.”

For those reasons, the manufacturer says anyone handling the concentrate should use personal protective equipment to shield the skin and eyes and a respirator mask to avoid breathing in fumes.

One of the key components in OxyCide is peracetic acid, the chemical that OSHA officials said they had no means of testing for in 2015. Peracetic acid is corrosive to the skin, eyes, and respiratory system when inhaled or in direct contact with skin. Overexposure can cause severe reactions such as pulmonary edema and permanent lung and skin problems, according to ChemDAQ, which makes air monitoring equipment.

Should You File an Ecolab Lawsuit?

Those who have sustained an injury or adverse health effects from working with OxyCide may qualify to participate in Ecolab lawsuits. To learn more about the available options, consult a qualified, experienced attorney.

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