Inspection Detail

Inspection: 2807030 - Baltimore City Dept. Of Social Services

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

ON MARCH THIRD, 1986, HIGH WINDS CAUSED A DOWNDRAFT WHICH ALLOWED EXHAUST GAS FROM A FURNACE TO ENTER THE FOURTH FLOOR WORKING AREA OF A CITY GOVERNMENT BUILDING. 64 EMPLOYEES COMPLAINED OF SMELLING "OIL" FUMES, AND OF EXPERIENCING SUCH SYMPTOMS AS HEADACHE AND NAUSEA. MANY ALSO EXPERIENCED SYMPTONS NOT RELATED TO CARBON MONOXIDE INHALATION. OF THE 64 EMPLOYESS, ABOUT 23 HAD THEIR CARBOXYHEMOGLOBIN LEVELS CHECKED. AREA MONITORING FOR CARBON MONOXIDE ON THE MORNING OF THE INCIDENT REVEALED CO LEVELS OF FROM SIX TO EIGHT PARTS PER MILLION. MONITORING SINCE THE INCIDENT HAS NOT REVEALED ANY SIGNIFICANT CARBON MONOXIDE LEVELS. THE INCIDENT APPEARS TO BE AN EXAMPLE OF MASS PSYCHOGENIC ILLNESS. ALL 64 EMPLOYEES FILED WORKER'S COMPENSATION CLAIMS. 12 WERE TREATED AT THE HYBERBARIC MEDICINE UNIT FOR PERSISTENT SYMPTOMS. TREATMENT WAS BASED ON PSYCHO-MOTOR TESTS AND NOT CARBOXYHEMOGLOBIN LEVELS.

Keywords: FURNACE, RESPIRATORY, VENTILATION, HEADACHE, INHALATION, NAUSEA, EXHAUST FUMES, CARBOXYHEMOGLOBIN, TOXIC FUMES, CARBON MONOXIDE