Janitorial workers at local university blame cleaning product for allergic reactions

Several janitorial workers employed by a company that cleans Nova Southeastern University are voicing concerns regarding a new product they have been asked to use.

They believe a new disinfectant they began using in December made them sick and say the company they work for, Encompass Onsite, did not take their concerns seriously.

“I felt like I couldn’t get air. All of this burned,” said worker Alba Ramirez, pointing to her throat.

Another worker Angel Valdes said when he grabbed the liquid, he began having trouble breathing.

“A rash broke out on my face, my entire body,” a third worker, Maria Teresa Hernandez, told NBC6 Investigators.

Helene O’Brien is the union leader of 32BJ SEIU, which represents janitorial workers in Florida.

She says the union learned of safety concerns in December, after Encompass Onsite workers at Nova were instructed to use a new type of multi-purpose disinfectant known as aqueous ozone.

“The product is made on-site, on campus,” O’Brien said. “I think there’s one or two machines that mix it. And the workers were told the product is really just water with some electricity.”

The solution is made on-site in a machine produced by Nebraska-based company BioSecurity Technology. The product’s label says it’s almost entirely made of water with less than 0.01% ozone – well below OSHA’s recommended limit for human exposure in a workday.

It’s often described as a “green” product better for the environment than harsh industrial cleaners. But some workers are questioning whether it’s better for them after they say some began getting sick, including two women who went to the hospital.

“We had more than eight workers who were reporting shortness of breath and some kind of skin or physical reactions,” O’Brien said.

Workers who spoke with NBC6 Investigators shared photos and medical records detailing symptoms including acute allergic reaction, shortness of breath, throat irritation and hives.

“I’m very afraid,” Ramirez said while fighting back tears. “I’ve been afraid since we started using the product.”

Angel Valdes says it took two visits to the worker’s compensation doctor before Encompass Onsite agreed to move him to a different work area.

In February, the union, which represents around 250 Encompass workers at Nova, joined employees at the campus to protest over safety concerns. They also protested the job status of another worker, Maria Elena Hernandez, who serves as the union shop steward. Hernandez says she has been on paid administrative leave since reporting workers’ health fears.

“I feel they suspended me for raising my voice and asking questions,” Hernandez said.

Encompass said they could not comment on personnel matters, but the company denied Hernandez’s claims.  

“We actually think the company should stop using this product and use another product,” O’Brien said.

The union also filed a complaint with OSHA, who sent inspectors to the campus on Feb. 16, detailing the workers’ allegations. 

In various emailed statements, Encompass Onsite wrote:

“We can tell you that we partner with a workers’ compensation carrier that relies on an independent third-party medical diagnosis to determine if an injury or accident is work related. The claims processed thus far have been denied or found inconclusive. When an employee has provided independent documentation from a physician recommending that they avoid the product as a precautionary measure, they have been offered reassignment to tasks that do not require using cleansers … Last year, in an effort to improve sanitation and reduce the use of harsh chemicals, our company began using aqueous ozone, a long-time FDA-approved, non-chemical cleaner that is widely adopted by major corporations and food processors around the globe. The product is 100% organic and Green Seal certified, which ensures that it is safe and effective. It does not leave harmful residue on surfaces and has proven to be a safer alternative to many common disinfectants.”

According to the product safety data sheet, there are no hazards associated with it in “normal use.” 

BioSecurity Technology CEO Dan Lynn spoke with NBC6 Investigators about what could have caused the workers’ reactions.

“We’ve never had any issues whatsoever,” Lynn said, adding the company’s product is used by dozens of major corporations and ozone is FDA-approved for direct use on food.

He says he spoke with OSHA’s inspector when they visited Nova in February.

“It was obvious the machine was working as it was supposed to work,” according to Lynn.

He shared a theory about what could’ve gone wrong. He believes residual chemicals previously used to clean the site could have reacted with the aqueous ozone. It’s something he says one of his colleagues tried to simulate with a chemical cleaner once they learned of the worker reactions.

“We laid our solution on top of the chemical,” he explained. “Then, he wiped it once and he could see the residue plainly on there and then he smelled it, and he could smell the chemical.”

The CDC and OSHA’s regional office said they have not received prior complaints about any aqueous ozone product. 

NBC6 Investigators spoke with Dr. Bill Carroll, who is a member of the American Chemical Society and teaches chemistry at the University of Indiana, about aqueous ozone in general and its use in the cleaning industry.

“Literally, there’s nothing in it but oxygen. So in that sense you’re using oxygen out of the air, what you’re doing is you’re adding a little electric power to it,” he explained.

Carroll says when it’s used correctly, it should not pose a risk. He says it needs to be mixed onsite because ozone doesn’t have much of a shelf life.

“Ozone is not stable…so, when you make it, it will over a time go back to regular oxygen,” Carroll said. “Where I would exercise some caution is if you’re generating it and making it on site, it would be useful to have someone who knows how to do that and do it in a safe fashion.”

The union said only two workers have been offered reassignments so far. No additional employees have reported health issues from using the product.

“They are being put in this position of choosing to use a product that could hurt them or go to work,” O’Brien said.

A spokesperson for Nova Southeastern University provided a statement which read:

“NSU officials are aware of the allegations that have been made by workers of a third-party vendor that works for the university. NSU has been in communication with Encompass, who assures the university it is taking the complaint seriously and working directly with the union representing the employees in question.”

A representative for OSHA would not comment on the details of their case, but said it remains open.