When Cleaning Kills
A tragic event that occurred in a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in Burlington, Massachusetts is a grave reminder of the importance in knowing what hazardous materials you are working with.
“The incident occurred [on November 7th] when one worker put a cleaning product called Super 8 — sodium hypochlorite — on the floor without realizing that another product, Scale Kleen, predominantly composed of acid, had tipped over and spilled onto the floor” said Interim Fire Chief Michael Patterson. “These two products are often used,” he said, “but when they become mixed, that’s when the problem occurs.” After the two products mixed, the worker told firefighters the product turned green and started to bubble. “The general manager unfortunately grabbed a squeegee and tried to push it outside, but he was quickly overcome, he began having problems breathing.” The general manager was rushed to hospital, where he later died. 13 others, including staff and customers, were also hospitalized, but are expected to make a full recovery. Source
Unfortunately, this incident is not as uncommon as one would hope. Below we share similar scenarios, where a mixture of cleaning products created a deadly outcome.
Whether cleaning at work or at home the following combinations should always be AVOIDED:
The above list is just some of the deadly mixtures when it comes to cleaning chemicals. In order to avoid a toxic concoction, it is best to never mix cleaning chemicals or products. And when it comes to work safety, always consult the SDS (Safety Data Sheet) before handling a product you are not familiar with.
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