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Guelph, ON, facilities put on alert after nearby chemical spill

Hospital Safety Connection, March 10, 2004

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A chemical spill at a food plant on March 5 in Guelph, ON, put two healthcare facilities in the Canadian city on alert for casualties, even though only one person ended up needing attention, the Guelph Mercury reports.

The spill occurred at 8 a.m. and forced the temporary evacuation of businesses, homes, and a school in a five-block area. Police lifted the evacuation order about two hours after the spill of sulphuric acid and ferric chloride-chemicals that combine to create toxic hydrochloric acid-at the Gay-Lea Foods building, the Canadian Press reports.

The injury involved a worker who was splashed with chemicals. The person was treated at Guelph General Hospital and released. The accident occurred while an acid-tanker truck was unloading materials at the plant.

Although the accident could have been much worse, it gave Guelph General the opportunity to test its Code Orange disaster plan. The hospital's plan calls for bringing in extra staff as needed, setting up command and triage centers, and establishing a decontamination unit outside the hospital.

The other nearby building, St. Joseph's Health Centre-a rehabilitation, chronic, and long-term care facility-also activated an emergency plan. The facility closed doors and windows and advised residents to stay indoors, and it cancelled some day therapies.

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