A recently published incident by the International Maritime Contractors Association highlighted the dangers of mixing chemical solutions. In the particular incident a cleaning worker on a tug boat mixed two cleaning solutions and experienced serious toxic exposure to the chemical vapors.
According to the report the cleaning worker mixed bleach and toilet cleaner and had no idea of what the consequences would be. The mixture caused the worker to experience breathing discomfort which required medical attention onboard the boat. Ultimately the worker was diagnosed with chemical bronchitis.
What does this mean? Everyday millions of cleaning workers are exposing themselves and the facilities that they work in to possible dangers of chemical mixtures. The key is training and safety awareness. All employees must be made aware of the dangers of mixing chemicals even those thought to be possibly harmless. Safety awareness is made possible by short training sessions and the availability of Safety Data Sheets (SDS).
How do you know how to handle these situations and avoid possible incidents in your facility? Contact your local cleaning supply professional. They are trained to understand how chemicals work and the proper applications of each product. There may be times when some products are safe to combine however don’t guess. Have your local professional provide expert guidance before dangers occur.
We at Advance Champion Supply have many years of field experience and factory training to provide to you. We are here to help. How can we help you?
