Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1567767 - Jefferson Bank And Trust

Inspection Information - Office: Denver Area Office

Investigation Summary

ON JUNE 15, 1984, AT APPROXIMATELY 4:30 PM, EMPLOYEES #1, 2 & 3 WERE VERIFYING BANK DEPOSITS IN THE SECURED BANK VAULT. THESE THREE EMPLOYEES SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED EYE IRRITATION, DIZZINESS, AND LIGHT HEADEDNESS. AT APPROXIMATELY 5 PM PARAMEDICS ARRIVED AT THE BANK AND PERFORMED SUCH FIRST AID PROCEDURES AS ADMINISTERING OXYGEN, CHECKING BLOOD PRESSURE AND PULSE AND GIVING EKG'S. 22 OTHER BANK EMPLOYEES EXPERIENCED EITHER MILD SYMPTOMS OR NO SYMPTOMS AT ALL. A FEW EMPLOYEES RETURNED TO THE VAULT WITHIN A HALF HOUR OF THE INCIDENT (TO SECURE THE DEPOSITS) AND EXPERIENCED NO ADVERSE EFFECTS. AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE ALL THE EMPLOYEES WORKING IN THE AFFECTED AREA WERE TAKEN TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM OF THE LOCAL HOSPITAL. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE PARAMEDICS WERE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE EMPLOYEES' SYMPTOMS. THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM DID NOT PERFORM ANY LAB WORK (SUCH AS AN ANALYSIS OF THE PATIENT'S BLOOD OR EXHALED BREATH) WHICH MIGHT HAVE IDENTIFIED THE AIR CONTAMINANT. ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES WERE RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL THAT NIGHT. SUBSEQUENT AIR MONITORING CONDUCTED BY OSHA REVEALED LOW LEVELS OF 1,1,2 TRICHLORO-122 TRI FLUOROETHANE (FREON 113) LEAKING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. ALL POSSIBLE SOURCES OF AIR CONTAMINATION WERE INVESTIGATED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT. A DEFINITE CAUSE WAS NEVER DETERMINED FOR THE EMPLOYEES SENT TO THE HOSPITAL. THE LEAKING AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM COULD HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THIS INCIDENT. THE AIR CONDITIONER COULD HAVE LEAKED BADLY FOR A SHORT TIME AND THEN SOMEHOW BECAME RESEALED. A WEEK LATER NONE OF THE BANK EMPLOYEES SEEMED TO HAVE ANY ADVERSE EFFECTS FROM THEIR EXPOSURE.

Keywords: EYE, AIR CONDITIONER, INHALATION, FREON, DIZZINESS, RESPIRATOR