UCLA lab Trainee Dies, Family Criticizes Investigation

People dealing with dangerous chemicals and substances must have sufficient training in handling the same. For trainees or apprentices, strict supervision is necessary. Moreover, equipment that would be used in the experiment, procedure or process must be functioning properly.

Improper or unsupervised handling of hazardous chemical may result to accidents such as fire and burn. In a tragic incident that happened at UCLA, an unsupervised trainee suffered severe burn injuries when an experiment gone badly.

Sheri Sangji, a staff research assistant at UCLA, died of burn injury eighteen days after an experiment with air sensitive chemicals burst into flames. Shanji was neither wearing a protective lab coat nor supervised at the time of the accident.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal-OSHA) cited UCLA for three violations and ask to pay a fine of $3, 185 for each violation. The penalty was imposed upon finding that Sangji was improperly trained and not wearing protective clothing when the accident happened.

Dissatisfied with the findings, Sangji’s family appealed alleging that the violations should be considered “willful” and “repeat” thereby increasing the penalty to $70,000 each. Moreover, they also claimed that the state board failed to investigate regarding the safety of the equipment used or method used in the experiment.

Burn injuries as a cause of death are painful and horrific. This must be the reason why families of burn victims partake on a legal battle to seek justice. A wrongful death case may be filed against the school and all others who might be responsible for it.

A personal injury lawyer would be helpful in alleviating the pain and suffering of burn victims and their families by pursuing a case against them. Though filing a case would never make things normal, at least parties at fault could be taught a lesson.

Robes recalled for catching on fire

Product recall has bombarded the market place and created an alarm among consumers. The newest addition to the recall bandwagon was the Blair’s robe.

In April 2009, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Blair LLC, of Warren, Pa. (Blair), announced the recall of 162,000 women’s full length Chenille Robes.

The recall was prompted by incidents of three robes catching on fire including one report of second-degree burns. After the recall was announced, Blair was informed of other incidents.

When the families of 6 people who had died of burn injuries came forward, CPSC and Blair re-announced the voluntary recall of the robes. Of the six new incidents, five of them were women who were cooking at the time of death. Of the five, three were in their 80s.

CPSC and Blair asked consumers to stop wearing the robes and return them in lieu of gift card.

Nursing Home Cited for Poor Care

Admittedly, we are so busy sometimes that we could no longer afford our elderly members of the family the care and attention they need. In our minds, the best thing to do is to send them to nursing homes, health care facilities or rehabilitation centers.

Sending them in these caring institutions give us the belief that they are well taken cared of. However, with the cases of license revocation and citation of several health and caring institutions, it made me think twice.

Lemon Grove Care and Rehabilitation Center in San Diego County was one of those included in the growing list of nursing homes who have received a citation. In fact, it received an “AA” citation, the worst and most severe penalty and a fine of $80,000 from the state of California.

This incident had been fueled by an incident involving a 74-year-old woman who died at such center for burn injuries.

Caring institutions must observe all the necessary precautions, care and safety measures to afford their clients the best services they could give. If they fall short in giving good health care, the state of California may give them citation and/or a civil monetary fine.

The penalty and citation process are aimed at giving the public quality care.