Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1353533.015 - Pacific Coast Producers

Inspection Information - Office: Sacramento District Office

Investigation Summary

At 2:41 a.m. on September 22, 2018, an employee was working for a fruit and vegetable canner. She was working on the second level of an open warehouse. She was "chasing cans": ensuring that cans to be filled stayed on a conveyor belt. At the same time, cleaners were spraying Foam Chlor 50 bleach cleaner on equipment on the lower level of the warehouse. The cleaner contained bleach and sodium hypochlorite. It was suspected that when the equipment was rinsed off with hot water, some vapors lofted upstairs and the employee inhaled them. The warehouse area had many exhaust and floor fans. The employee suffered respiratory and eye irritation and nausea. A coworker brought her down to a place on the lower level that was not being cleaned, and emergency medical services were called. The EMTs treated her and took her to the local hospital. There, she was treated and released four hours later. She was not hospitalized. She could return right back to work. Post-incident testing by the employer with simulation showed no exposures above the permissible exposure level (PEL). The plant shut down for the season before the Cal/OSHA inspection began.

Keywords: Agriculture, Belt Conveyor, Bleach, Cleaning, Eye, Food processing, Overcome by vapors, Respiratory, Sodium Hypochlorite