Protecting Employees and Surrounding Areas from Ammonia Leaks

Protecting Employees and Surrounding Areas from Ammonia Leaks is important to the safety and well being of  workers. Recently, San Francisco Sausage maker Columbus Manufacturing, settled a lawsuit Monday  from an ammonia leak at its South San Francisco facility. The Ammonia leak which occurred in August of 2009 caused 17 people to be hospitalized.  Columbus manufacturing agreed to pay $850,000 and promised to make safety upgrades.

The suit was filed by the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office, claims the company failed to properly train employees on hazardous materials, update safety information and perform a proper safety review of new equipment.

In August 2009 a unit malfunctioned when it was turned on, sending 200 pounds of ammonia into the air. Seventeen workers from neighboring Genentech were hospitalized as a result of their exposure to the Ammonia, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, which also investigated the chemical release.

According to the EPA, exposure to ammonia can cause temporary blindness and eye damage as well as skin, mouth, throat and breathing problems. Extended exposure can cause death or major health problems.

Cooper Notification provides ammonia monitoring systems that can instantly notify employees and surrounding areas of an ammonia leak. An ammonia monitoring system can save lives and exposure to deadly ammonia chemicals.

To find out more about Cooper Notification ammonia monitoring and emergency evacuation systems contact Telcom & Data at 800-335-0229 or visit www.wheelock-products.com