Twelve people were evacuated, and three were treated for eye irritation when acid leaked from cleaning equipment at an operating room in St. Vincents Hospital Melbourne in Fitzroy, Australia. OR staff were setting up for surgery when they noticed that peracetic acid had leaked from sterilization equipment.
Recent Chemical Spills in Outpatient Surgery
Recent Chemical Spills in Outpatient Surgery
- Twelve people were evacuated, and three were treated for eye irritation when acid leaked from cleaning equipment at an operating room in St. Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne in Fitzroy, Australia. OR staff were setting up for surgery when they noticed that peracetic acid had leaked from sterilization equipment. As a precaution, the OR and two adjoining ORs were evacuated and cordoned off. In one of those ORs, a patient was undergoing surgery. The surgeon continued and then evacuated within five minutes. Patients who were waiting for surgery were moved into a waiting area nearby, and the hospital canceled the first hour of surgery. Twelve firefighters wearing chemical splash suits and respirators responded. They diluted the acid, mopped up the area, and had the spill under control within 30 minutes. Three people were treated for minor eye irritations. The ORs reopened. Source: Chemical spill evacuates hospital. The Age, Oct. 7, 2003. Web: www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/10/07/1065292575186.html?oneclick=true.
- Parts of two floors at the Kapi’olani Medical Center at Pali Momi in Pearlridge, HI, were evacuated on Jan. 3, 2002, after 1-2 gallons of acetic acid leaked from an X-ray machine and spilled on the third floor of a hospital. Instead of flowing into a drain, the acid seeped through the floor to the second story, where surgery was being conducted. The fluid formed a puddle of about 400 square feet. Six companies of firefighters, including two hazmat teams, responded. Workers were evacuated from parts of the second and third floors, although the staff involved in the surgery decided to stay. No patients were evacuated, and there were no reports of injuries. Source: Lum C. Chemical spill forces partial hospital evacuation. The Honolulu Advertiser, Jan. 4, 2004. Web: www.honoluluadvertiser.com.
- Ethylene oxide spilled at Neighbor Health Center, an outpatient surgical clinic owned by Washington (PA) Hospital, on Oct. 25, 2002. An alarm sounded in the sterilizing room of a surgical unit at the center. Five employees entered the room and later experienced minor symptoms, including headaches. Source: Chemical spill sends five to hospital. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Oct. 26, 2002. Web: www.post-gazette.com/neigh_washington/20021026fumeswash2p2.asp.
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