Update: Minnesota Lawsuit Alleges Ecolab Hid Risks of OxyCide Disinfectant
A housekeeper for a hospital in Minnesota who claims she suffered nosebleeds and long-term respiratory effects from OxyCide is suing Ecolab, alleging the company “fraudulently concealed defects” of its cleaning products and failed to warn of potential health risks. Plaintiff Gretchen Eadson alleges she began experiencing harmful side effects from OxyCide after the first time she started using the product in 2017, and that a medical specialist advised her to stop working with OxyCide after her symptoms persisted for several months. Eadson further claims she followed OxyCide’s use and safety instructions while using the disinfectant but was still harmed, and that many of her hospital coworkers had experienced similar health effects.
“Hospital workers have consistently and repeatedly reported serious physical injuries associated with the use of Ecolab’s OxyCide Cleaning Products since they were first distributed in 2013 to over 500 hospitals in the U.S.,” Eadson said in her complaint.
The lawsuit is: Eadson v. Ecolab, Inc. et al., case number 0:20-cv-01126, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.
What is OxyCide?
OxyCide Daily Disinfectant is a hospital-cleaning product used by employees to protect against Clostridioides difficile (Clostridium difficile) spores, Candida auris, and other organisms. The product works as an antimicrobial agent to deactivate or destroy microorganisms on inert surfaces. OxyCide is made by Ecolab Inc., and was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2013.
What’s the Problem?
Since it hit the market in 2013, OxyCide has become the primary cleaning solution at hospitals and other medical facilities across the U.S. Unfortunately, during that time many hospital employees have complained that they and their co-workers have suffered from adverse side effects after using OxyCide.
“It burns my eyes, it makes them water. It burns my throat,” said Robert Ross, a housekeeping employee at UPMC Magee-Women’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “The best way to describe it is it’s like working with onions. You have no relief, unless you take a break and go some place that’s well ventilated so you can get some air.”
OxyCide Side Effects
- Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing
- Coughing
- Asthma-like symptoms
- Wheezing
- Chronic respiratory problems
- Headaches
- Burning eyes, nose and throat
- Cracked hands and nails
- Nasal problems
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Loss of voice
- Upset stomach
- Skin burns
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Raw lips
- Sores on or in mucous membranes
- Other reactions affecting pulmonary or respiratory functions
California Nurse Files Lawsuit Alleging OxyCide Health Effects
A nurse at the Kaiser Medical Center in Baldwin Park who allegedly suffered health effects from exposure to OxyCide is suing her employer and Ecolab, according to FOX News. Plaintiff Sheneka Brown started experiencing difficulty breathing, a sore throat, headaches, and nausea within weeks of beginning her employment with Kaiser in February 2020.
“Even after plaintiff’s shift ended, her symptoms would linger throughout the night and would only subside after a few days away from OxyCide,” the complaint states.
The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and brings causes of action including negligence, strict liability, and both intentional and negligent misrepresentation.
Class Action Alleges OxyCide Respiratory Effects in Healthcare Workers
A class action lawsuit recently filed against Ecolab, Inc., by 3 plaintiffs in Minnesota alleges that “… hospital workers have consistently and repeatedly reported serious physical injuries associated with the use of Ecolab’s OxyCide Cleaning Products. These included burning eyes, nose, and throat, nasal problems, cough, headache, dizziness, nausea, nose bleeds, asthma-like symptoms, respiratory irritation, skin burns, rashes and other reactions affecting their pulmonary and respiratory functions.”
The suit further claims that testing of chemical compounds in OxyCide cleaning products reveal the presence of dangerous chemicals, including peracetic acid (PAA), which are known to cause adverse health effects. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota under Case No. 0:20-cv-00570-SRN-ECW.
What are OxyCide Lawsuits Alleging?
Several lawsuits have been filed alleging that OxyCide contains hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid, and peracetic acid (also known as peroxyacetic acid or “PAA”), a known toxin that causes serious respiratory symptoms, even at low exposures. The suits further claim that Ecolab used the U.S. Government’s recommended PAA exposure limit of 0.4 parts-per-million (ppm) without considering the potential health effects of hydrogen peroxide or acetic acid in their safety evaluations. Ecolab also failed to test the symptoms of long-term exposure to PAA, according to the class actions.
Do I Have an OxyCide Class Action?
The Product Liability Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in OxyCide lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new cases in all 50 states.
If you or a loved one has been harmed by OxyCide side effects, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to a settlement by filing a suit and we can help.