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OxyCide Lawsuit

OxyCide Lawsuit

OxyCide is a powerful disinfectant for hospitals, but a growing number of staff who use OxyCide have developed severe breathing problems, skin burns, and other side effects.

What You Can Do & How We Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting OxyCide induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with severe side effects of OxyCide, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

UPDATE: Hospital Housekeeper Files OxyCide Lawsuit

In May 2020, a hospital housekeeper who worked at Stanford Healthcare in Palo Alto, California, filed an OxyCide lawsuit against Ecolab after she developed nose bleeds and severe coughing for several months.

The lawsuit accuses Ecolab of hiding the risks of OxyCide Daily Disinfectant Cleaner, harming the health of hospital employees nationwide, failing to provide adequate safety instructions, and falsely claiming that OxyCide has similar side effects as other disinfectants.

“There have been numerous reports of employees developing serious health related issues concerning OxyCide, including difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, burning eyes, burning throat, bronchospasms, and/or vocal cord stridor.”

The lawsuit also cites tests from a company called ChemDAQ that linked ongoing exposure to peracetic acid (PAA) —  the toxic chemical in OxyCide with liver and kidney problems, pulmonary edemas, circulatory problems, and other unknown long-term health problems.

She is seeking an injunction to force Ecolab from selling OxyCide, as well as unspecified damages. The lawsuit was filed on May 8, 2020 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota — In RE: Eadson v. Ecolab, Inc. et al.Case Number 0:20-cv-01126.

Nurse Files OxyCide Lawsuit Against Kaiser Hospital in California

In May 2020, a nurse in Los Angeles, California filed an OxyCide lawsuit against Ecolab and Kaiser Permanente after she developed breathing problems and other side effects. She blames her health problems on Kaiser forcing employees to use spray-bottles filled with OxyCide to disinfect gowns and goggles, which released toxic vapors in the air. Click here to read more.

What is OxyCide?

OxyCide™ Daily Disinfectant Cleaner has been used in over 500 hospitals to disinfect and deodorize surfaces since 2013. It is advertised to kill viruses, bacteria, and spores. OxyCide is particularly effective against Clostridium difficile (C. diff), an antibiotic-resistant bacteria that commonly causes hospital-acquired diarrhea.

What is the problem?

The powerful chemicals in OxyCide effectively kill dangerous spores, but these chemicals may also be making hospital housekeeping workers very sick, according to an investigation by the Pittsburgh City Paper in February 2015.

Health Risks of Using OxyCide

OxyCide is easily absorbed through the skin and inhaled, especially in areas with poor ventilation. One user described its effects “like working with onions.”

Unfortunately, even low levels of exposure to OxyCide can cause burning eyes, skin, nose, and other symptoms. The long-term health risks of OxyCide are unknown, but some people have filed lawsuits after developing chronic breathing problems.

Side Effects of OxyCide

  • Breathing problems
  • Asthma
  • Burning eyes, nose, throat, and lungs
  • Runny nose
  • Nose bleeds
  • Coughing
  • Dizziness
  • Headaches
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Skin burns
  • Rashes
  • Loss of voice or hoarseness
  • And more

What is in OxyCide?

The chemicals in OxyCide include hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid. When these two ingredients combine, they create a highly-toxic chemical called peracetic acid (also called peroxyacetic acid or PAA).

Even low exposure to PAA can cause a wide variety of side effects all over the body, but the most common complaint is irritation to the nose, throat, and lungs. The symptoms can appear in as little as 15 minutes.

NIOSH Investigation in Pittsburgh Hospital

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is a government organization that conducted an OxyCide Health Hazard Report after investigating a hospital in Pennsylvania where several housekeeping employees developed health problems.

What Happened During the Investigation?

Many victims reported severe symptoms while using OxyCide to clean bathrooms, especially in shower stalls, where there was no ventilation. Others suffered skin burns when OxyCide splashed or spilled. NIOSH tests found OxyCide vapors in the air were also associated with nose and eye symptoms, and with increased reports of shortness of breath.

Case Reports Link Asthma and Peracetic Acid-Hydrogen Peroxide Mix

Lawsuits claim that Ecolab should have known about the health risks of OxyCide due to earlier studies. For example, a study published in 2007 described two case reports (PDF) of hospital workers who developed asthma after disinfecting endoscopic equipment using a mixture of Peracetic Acid and Hydrogen Peroxide.

Another Study Links OxyCide and Asthma

In October 2017, a study (PDF) published in the Journal of Infection Control found that exposure to OxyCide was associated with mucous membrane and respiratory health effects. People who used OxyCide commonly suffered from wheezing and watery eyes. They were also 3X more likely to have asthma.

OxyCide Lawsuits

A growing number of injury lawsuits and class action lawsuits have been filed against Ecolab Inc., a Minnesota-based company that sells OxyCide.

These lawsuits accuse Ecolab of aggressively marketing OxyCide to hospitals without properly testing it for safety — including long-term health risks for people who were exposed to high levels of OxyCide.

Ecolab is also accused of failing to warn hospitals about the risk. The company insisted that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is not necessary when using OxyCide, so hospitals rarely provided their housekeeping staff with protective gear.

OxyCide Class Action Lawsuit Filed in Minnesota

In February 2020, an OxyCide Class Action Lawsuit (PDF) was filed in Minnesota by 3 environmental services (EVS) techicians who were injured while using OxyCide at hospital in Iowa and Georgia. They are seeking compensation for a nationwide class of hospital workers.

One of the plaintiffs is a hospital employee who suffered progressively worsening symptoms of OxyCide exposure. Due to her repeated exposures, she now suffers from constant shortness of breath and must use an albuterol inhaler, as well as other medication.

The lawsuit was filed on March 18, 2020 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota – Case Number 0:20-cv-00570-SRN-ECW.

Do I have an OxyCide Lawsuit?

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting OxyCide induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with severe side effects of OxyCide, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

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