Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1826833 - Chemical Finishing Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Springfield Area Office

Investigation Summary

An employee was doing normal tasks as laboratory supervisor. He was found face down in the president's office at 3:30 pm. A secretary and coworker administered cardio-pulmonary and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while an ambulance was on the way. The supervisor had a runny nose and oral discharge and was bright red in color. His breathing was weak, with evidence of edema. The supervisor was taken to a hospital. Afterwards, the coworker noticed a coffee cup with white crystals in it on the supervisor's desk. There was also vomit on the desk. The president of the company took a sample of the contents in the coffee cup, and the sample tested positive for cyanide. This information was passed to the hospital, where a cyanide antidote was administered. The antidote failed to work, and the supervisor died. He had been under psychiatric care and had access to sodium cyanide in the laboratory as part of his job.

Keywords: CPR, SODIUM CYANIDE, LAB WORKER, SUICIDE, CYANIDE