A poisonous gas leak hospitalised workers has prompted urgent checks on the territory’s dry cleaners after preliminary investigations suggested inadequate maintenance as the cause.
Possibly deadly carbon monoxide is believed to have escaped from a faulty boiler at Bell’s Dry Cleaners at Bonner House.
That gas reportedly streamed through an airconditioning unit, and leaked into a nearby alterations shop.
Two workers at the shop collapsed from the fumes, as did the security officer who tried to assist them. Later a paramedic and Bell’s employee also suffered from effects of exposure . The hospitalised individuals were kept overnight and were discharged at the start of the week.
There is still uncertainty regarding the amount of time they had been inhaling the deadly gas, but fortunately they are believed to be void of any permanent injuries. Investigations from WorkSafe ACT visited the site to conduct further investigations. Advertisement
WorkSafe attributes the accident to ”maintenance shortcomings” on the boiler, and are now looking into maintenance records for all relative equipment.
”We’re almost certain now that the fault is from a faulty boiler in the dry cleaning company,” said Work Safety Commissioner Mark McCabe. ”We’ve got a firm belief now that those maintenance issues probably led to the incident.”
Source: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/dry-cleaner-audit-after-faulty-boiler-causes-gas-leak-20130114-2cpch.html#ixzz2IIOw69VB
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