Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1725118 - Western Union

Inspection Information - Office: Marlton Area Office

Investigation Summary

THIS INCIDENT AROSE FROM THE SPRAYING OF INSECTICIDE DURSTAN 1.0. BY AN OUTSIDE CONTRACTOR IN THE GENERAL AREA WHERE WESTEN UNION TELEGRAM OPERATORS RECEIVED CALLS. AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00 P.M. ON 8/14/84, THE ROOMS TO BE TREATED BY THE EXTERMINATOR WERE EVACUATED. FROM 6:30 P.M. TO APPROXIMATELY 7:45 P.M. THE EXTERMINATOR APPLIED PESTICIDE TO THE RUGS IN THE EVACUATED ROOMS. THE EXTERMINATOR RECOMMENDED THAT THE ROOMS REMAIN EVACUATED FOR 2 HOURS AFTER BEING TREATED. AT APPROXIMATELY 7:45 P.M. WESTERN UNION HAD THE OPERATORS RETURN TO WORK IN THE ROOMS THAT HAD BEEN SPRAYED. APPARENTLY ONLY 1 HOUR AND 15 MINUTES HAD ELASPED FROM THE TIME OF SPRAYING TO THE RETURN OF EMPLOYEES TO THE SPRAYED AREA. AT 7:50 P.M. EMPLOYEE #1 COLLAPSED AT HER WORK STATION IN A RECENTLY SPRAYED AREA AND WENT INTO CONVULSIONS. SEVERAL OTHER EMPLOYEES BECAME NAUSEOUS, COMPLAINING OF HEADACHES, STOMACH PAIN AND FAINTNESS. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR 4 DAYS. ALL OTHER EMPLOYEES WENT TO THE HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT BUT WERE RELEASED.

Keywords: OFFICE AREA, WORK STATION, INSECTICIDE, OVEREXPOSURE