Malfunction to be investigated 01/30/2000

MUSKOGEE (AP) -- The state Labor Department will investigate chemical exposure to at least 15 employees of Muskogee Regional Medical Center that occurred in January, a department official said.

Operating rooms and the medical records unit were shut down Jan. 11 after a timer or pump malfunctioned, causing an imbalance of three chemicals in the water of the hospital's boiler, hospital Administrator and Executive Vice President Jim Grocholski said. The problem caused the pH of the steam to rise to 12, which is quite high, Grocholski said.

Employees complaining of difficulty in breathing and/or eye and throat irritation were treated at the emergency room and released. All were doing fine, Grocholski told the Muskogee Daily Phoenix on Jan. 11.

http://www.oklahoman.com/cgi-bin/shart?ID=440092&TP=getarticle

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), January 31, 2000