Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126074418 - Usc Department Of Chemistry

Inspection Information - Office: Los Angeles District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 7:30 p.m. on April 6, 2011, Employee #1 was an unpaid graduate student who was performing an experiment for his Ph.D. dissertation. Employee #1 did receive pay for his work as a university chemistry teaching assistant, however it was not related to the work he was doing when he was poisoned. While cleaning a shelf in the laboratory, Employee #1 picked up a bottle that contained thallium acetate. He removed the cap and looked at the precipitate inside. He reported that he replaced the cap but may have forgotten to tighten it. He turned the bottle upside down and some of the thallium acetate spilled onto his ungloved left hand. Employee #1 was suffering from food poisoning and raised his left hand to his mouth and he began to get sick and vomit. He stated that he believes that the chemical may have transferred from his hand to his mouth at this point. On April 7, 2011, Employee #1 experienced stomach and leg pain. His roommate made the Prussian blue antidote for thallium acetate poisoning, which Employee #1 consumed. On April 8, 2011, Employee #1's symptoms had worsened and he was hospitalized for treatment of the chemical poisoning.

Keywords: PPE, WORK RULES, CLEANING, LAB WORKER, POISONING, CHEMICAL