Woman critically ill from ingesting lye

[CanaDawn]

I just read this:

"South Jordan Cpl. Sam Winkler said a former employee told authorities the mixing of the cleaning product into the sugar bag happened July 5."

If the mixture error occurred on July 5 and this former employee knew about it, why wasn't it disposed of? With the level of negligence happening at this restaurant, I'm surprised the health dept and law enforcement are allowing this place to remain open. As a patron I would worry about any other errors that may have taken place and haven't been properly taken care of.

In the initial link, the story said that all cleaning products were properly labelled and stored on their inspection, hence it was allowed to stay open.

 

[sprklngsaphire]

I picture a tall beverage dispenser that would require dumping in ingredients high enough that fumes might not be noticed. I also assumed an opaque container (like stainless steel), although in those mixer units a lot of changes might go unnoticed. No basis for the previous speculations other than observing dispensers in restaurants.

The cleaning product would be in the food prep area because it was used for degreasing food prep equipment, but obviously their SOPs are lax and desperately unsafe.

Exactly right about the canisters. The restaurant I worked in, in order to make up the sweet tea, required a small step stool because it was so tall. So you had to reach and dump in the ingredients. The canister was stainless steel, so you aren't going to see the chemical reaction taking place. And as far as the fumes go.. those canisters have lids, so you are pretty much just dumping in your ingredients, placing the lid back on, and going about your next duty/task.

 

[CanaDawn]

My husband is a nurse and can't even fathom the type of injuries that this has done to her internal organs.

mouth and esophageal ulceration/'burn'/erosion. She only had a sip, and spit it out.

 

[sprklngsaphire]

In the initial link, the story said that all cleaning products were properly labelled and stored on their inspection, hence it was allowed to stay open.

I personally think that what really happened there was the employee informed the manager what had happened, and then the manager/owners made a mad dash to then separate and properly label everything knowing full well that an inspection would happen right away. But too late, the damage was already done. But they were trying to cover their butts so they wouldn't get shut down.

 

[sprklngsaphire]

mouth and esophageal ulceration/'burn'/erosion. She only had a sip, and spit it out.

Good to know, I was thinking she actually drank it. Thank goodness she spit it out.

 

[CanaDawn]

I personally think that what really happened there was the employee informed the manager what had happened, and then the manager/owners made a mad dash to then separate and properly label everything knowing full well that an inspection would happen right away. But too late, the damage was already done. But they were trying to cover their butts so they wouldn't get shut down.

better they scramble than that they NOT react and continue to improperly label and store the materials. Even so, it may not be a case of improper storage or labeling, and instead be a particular worker's negligence or undue attention. It would be a LOT of work to label, separate, and arrange storage of everything in a restaurant in such a short time - seems unlikely.

 

[CanaDawn]

Good to know, I was thinking she actually drank it. Thank goodness she spit it out.

She must have swallowed some, to get esophageal damage, but she didn't chug the glassful - a single sip. Still, the damage to the delicate mucosa happens very quickly.

 

[Dahila]

Terrible

 

[neeners]

Absolutely terrible. Hope the woman is okay, and the restaurant learned from their mistake. On the lye bottle I have, it has rates of use for household cleaning agent (I'm assuming like bleach...which some brands don't even have use and safety labels on), so totally understandable that it would be used in the restaurant as a cleaning agent. but seriously....sugar and lye don't look alike at all..... no excuse though....

 

[CanaDawn]

It wasn't straight lye, it was a cleaning product containing lye.

Which brand of bleach has no safety information on the label? That seems unlikely. The symbols count.

 

[clairissa]

It wasn't straight lye, but a degreaser product. Odds are most places have things that contain sodium hydroxide on the premises.

Oh that makes more sense. But how horrible. Why anyone would use a product like that to clean the iced tea urn is beyond me. Been in the Restaurant Biz my entire life - Salt, Lemons and Ice are the way to go with coffee pots and tea urns.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/

 

[CanaDawn]

Oh that makes more sense. But how horrible. Why anyone would use a product like that to clean the iced tea urn is beyond me. Been in the Restaurant Biz my entire life - Salt, Lemons and Ice are the way to go with coffee pots and tea urns.

roblem: They didn't INTEND to put it in the urn. It was in the kitchen for degreasing other equipment, was mistaken for sugar, and dumped into the tea.

 

[Jeanea]

So glad I choose to have water.....scary

 

[onesickfreak]

ive worked restaurants most of my life, and like i tell my friends, STAY AT HOME, COOK YOUR OWN FOOD... when i worked at a certain country style restaurant with rockers and checkerboards, the sugar stayed in an open container (never closed) right under the a highly used counter... food, chemicals, dead bugs, everything that was wiped down off the surface ended up in there. in other places focusing on pancakes ive seen labels of obviously expired product get switched out and have a few days added to them (not even a smell check), and all sorts of food safety paper worked faked daily. not to mention the highly toxic cleaners used in food prep areas.

but... ive also personally watched as people have put hairs, plastic strips, and even broken glass into their food. of all the incidents ive witnessed, only one time has someone continued to press the matter (she just wanted her tooth fixed) after it was explained that the surveillance tapes would be reviewed, and they would be contacted by our lawyers... its actually disturbing the lengths people will go through to get a free meal, or even the "im gonna get paid" mindset. dont forget the woman who (intentionally) burnt herself with mcdonalds coffee three times before she won her settlement...

 

[KristaY]

Follow-Up Story

I was happy to read this woman has been released from the hospital and is recovering from her tragic ordeal. Hopefully her plea for employee training reform will be done.

http://news.yahoo.com/woman-drank-toxic-tea-hopes-restaurants-reform-205649706.html