Project Experience: Eye and Skin Irritation

A parochial high school held an event in a gymnasium where attendees seated in one section of seats experienced severe eye and skin irritation, resulting in numerous emergency-room visits. A similar event had occurred a day earlier with no reported problems.

The gymnasium had been serviced by the custodial staff between the events.

A consultant collected wipe samples in several locations, which EMSL analyzed for antimicrobial compounds known to cause similar irritation under certain application conditions.

Significant amounts of those compounds were detected on wipes taken in the affected section, and in none of the others.

The conclusion was that the symptoms were due to misapplication of antimicrobial cleaners.