Ohio hospital evacuated after chemical mix-up

A gallon of muratic acid was poured into a barrel of chlorine by an employee working in a pool area

By Healthcare Facilities Today


A mistake made by maintenance personnel led to the evacuation recently of HealthLink clients and patients at Memorial Hospital Herbert-Perna Center in Fremont, Ohio.

A gallon of muratic acid was poured into a barrel of chlorine by an employee working in a pool area, according to an article on The News-Messenger website. The chemical reaction created a gas that filled the area.

When the fire department arrived, HealthLink clients and patients at Herbert-Perna Center already were evacuated. Firefighters moved the barrel outside and began ventilation with electric fans, the article said.

Herbert-Perna Center was closed for the rest of the day and reopened the next morning. Andrew Smith, Memorial Hospital’s marketing manager, said the hospital will work closely with the fire department to prevent future issues.

“We want to take a critical look at what we did well as a team, what the gaps are and what we can do better,” Karla Falls, the vice president of ancillary and professional services, said in the article.

Read the article.

 



March 11, 2014


Topic Area: Safety


Recent Posts

How Retail Design Principles Can Improve Healthcare Wayfinding

Healthcare facilities are adopting retail-inspired design strategies to make spaces easier to navigate and more comfortable for patients.


Flexible Design Strategies Help OhioHealth Maximize Clinical Space

Doing more with less was key to the renovated facility’s design.


Midwest Spine And Brain Institute Suffers Data Breach via Third-Party Vendor

MSBI recently learned that its third-party MSP provider, 3C, was affected by an external cyberattack.


What Accessibility in Senior Care Facilities Should Look Like

The future of design for senior care facilities should go beyond compliance.


Corewell Health to Expand Grand Rapids and Troy Hospitals

Major expansions at Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids and Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital are planned.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.