Calls to prevent repeat of RSA poisoning

Nola Murphy (right) - with friend Heatha Anderson - thought she was drinking lemonade. In fact it was a highly toxic cleaning fluid. Photo / Brett Phibbs

A case in which a woman was served a cleaning chemical instead of lemonade has prompted calls for the Department of Labour to take action to stop it happening again.

Instead of the refreshment she had ordered at an Auckland RSA club on her 73rd birthday, Nola Murphy was given a soft-drink bottle containing the lethal chemical benzalkonium chloride.

She and a friend were rushed to hospital for urgent treatment after they both tasted the fluid, which they said blocked their airways and burned their throats.

The incident has prompted commercial cleaning services and training provider Crest Clean to call for the Department of Labour to enforce higher standards for labelling and use of chemicals in the industry.

About five weeks before the incident, a cleaner at the RSA had filled the Sprite bottle with the fluid and placed it on the bar.

She then worked on another area and forgot to put the bottle back in the cleaning cupboard.

Another staff member put the bottle in the refrigerator with the other soft drinks.

It was later served to Mrs Murphy.

Chemicals used in unmarked plastic bottles, with no warnings or instructions was common throughout the industry and it was "only a matter of time before something like this occurred'' again, said Crest Clean managing director Grant McLauchlan.

"This needs to change.

"The Department of Labour is responsible for enforcing health and safety and preventing or managing the adverse effects of hazardous substances.

"Crest strongly believes that better standards of training are urgently needed as this incident at the Avondale RSA proves,'' said Mr McLauchlan.''

He said the Department needed to set a minimum standard of training, and require cleaners to at least undertake a NZQA course in cleaning and caretaking.''