Occupational exposure to floor wax

[NurseHP]

I am curious to see how many people get sick from floor wax at work. I believe we need to take the time to speak up, having to breathe chemicals that cause people sickness from being at work is uncalled for. I went to the ER last night after working my nursing job because of the floor wax fumes. I was going about my normal day when my eyes started burning and watering to no end. I thought some of the lotion I was wearing had got rubbed into my eyes. I continued preparing for my Med pass. I proceeded to go to the west wing and pass my meds. I noticed a nasty smell of fumes and saw they were waxing. I knew when I saw that it was the cause of my irritated eyes. I had to continue Med pass as we were working bare minimum staff. As I breathed the fumes and worked in the area following the wax my eyes were blinking non stop from the irritation watering and burning as though I had poured rubbing alcohol into them. Following the eye irritation my nose started stuffing up and my chest began tightening. I continued working and grew nauseated, dizzy and developed a headache. After completing Med pass I contacted my on call supervisor to inform her that I don't seem to do well being expose to these fumes and that I was going to get treated as soon as I finished my documentation. I moved to the east side to work from the clinic computer to try and get away from the fumes. I still could smell them but not as strong. Employees in the clinic reported headaches as well as others breathing the fumes. Unfortunately, it took me until the end of my shift to complete everything. By the time I drove home my head felt funny and It was a similar feeling like when you drink too many glasses of wine. I noticed my reactions and thought process was slower than normal. Honestly I was scared to drive home but I had no one to drive me and I had to get home to my child. I drove with caution and made it home. My neighbor saw me and asked what was wrong I explained what happened at work and she pointed out my face was red as well as my chest and my eyes were puffy. I took some benedryl and ibuprofen waited two hours and it didn't help. I then sat and waited on my fiancé to get off work and take me to the ER. The MD questioned me called poison control, gave me a chest X-ray and sent me home with an inhaler and benedryl plus three days out of work. I am scared when I return the waxing will still be going on. I am posting this because nurses who are affected need to report this and band together. Something must be done to protect people who have these kinds of reactions to the floor care chemicals. My first exposure to floor wax made me very ill with respiratory effects that took a good three months to get over. I didn't report it or get checked out at that time. I worked in a nursing home during the first exposure and my respiratory compromised patients also had issues. We need to speak up so they will move these patients away from where the floor care is being done and so employers will schedule employees with this reaction to work the days floor care is not being done. Something has to give here nurses should never have to compromise their health because they want to go to work to help others. Everyone please speak up if you have suffered irritation to floor waxing and striping! For now I will sit on my couch and see if this albuterol inhaler, Ibuprofen and Benadryl make me better if not guess I will return to the ER my employer has me using. Thanks for reading and all who speak up!

[amoLucia]

Obviously, I agree with what everyone else said. Please write in paragraphs. I got a headache attempting to read your post. I

I do not think you will get anyone to support your accusation of "occupational hazard to floor wax". Have you considered how minimal your exposure might be to other professions? What about people who install hardwood floor or people who paint for a living? Have you considered the exposure they have to toxic fumes? Probably 1000x more than what you are experiencing. I'm not ignoring your symptoms of what you felt... however I do feel you are being a bit tragic and over dramatic.

To OP - I feel for you!!! I too experienced extreme distress whenever they would strip & wax the floors. (You work LTC, right?)

And to other non-believers, the physical response is very real! I'd experience inspiratory & expiratory wheezing and to use a inhaler. And the eyeburn was searing! Headache, nausea, ...

Unfortunately, I would have to suffer thru most FIRST nites (no staff for emergency relief!) But the next nite or 2, I would call out sick. Sometimes the hskpg dept would post advance notice to the floors, so that would be a blessing. And I would occasionally ask them for advance warning because I would react.

Over the years, it got worse & worse. On a scale of 1 - 10, I was prob an 8. The sad part is most admin didn't think it was much of a prob FOR THEM. But for folk like OP and myself, it most certainly was!!!

If y'all remember, allergy to latex and gloves was not recognized for the loooongest time. I don't have the problem, but I don't minimize it for others. It's VERY REAL.

[AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

It is possible that you are either a Millennial or you are sensitive to the wax.

I have never heard of someone reacting to floor wax like that, and to be honest I think sometimes our brains play tricks on us and make us feel like we are dizzy and nauseas etc.

Annie

[LovingLife123]

No, the answer is NOT "wear a mask" First, most likely all you'll find is surgical masks and they do not stop the fumes from volatile chemicals from reaching the airways (and certainly not the eyes). And even if you have access to an N95, it isn't going to stop the fumes from reaching the airways.

People who have chemical sensitivities can request a reasonable accommodation provided they have documentation. OP appears that she does. And quite frankly, if this issue is as severe for her as she says, I think she should request the accommodation.

I have, in the past, had to request accommodation because of chemical sensitivity. What I have learned, sometimes you won't get the accommodation you need because it isn't possible (for example, using bleach to clean a room, or bleach wipes to clean equipment in a c-diff room. They aren't going to be able to stop that). However, my former unit did have to remove all the solid air fresheners, I was given time off when they painted the halls, and when they stripped and rewaxed the floors, I was also given time off (3 days). That is a reasonable accommodation.

Telling someone to just wear a mask, is not reasonable for the person affected by the chemicals.

Well, she can either try to deal with it or find a job where she is not exposed to irritating chemicals. A mask seems like a good compromise. I also suggested she not work on days they wax.

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

The fact that nurses are exposed to gazillions of pathogens, chemicals and other products, many of them with proven cancetogenic, teratogenic and any other shprt- and long term harmful effect ever known is not worrisome as it is?

I am extremely sensitive to a whole lot of foods, drugs and chemicals, to the point that a skin touch can cause generalized reaction. So, I hear what OP wants to say, but I still do not think that the fact that she had a reaction once warrants nation-wide company for eliminating floor wax. If I happen to be one of about 5000 persons in the US who are critically allergic to chocolate, it doesn't give me any right to demand making any place I might be 100% Hershey-free zone.

Masks, even respirators, are not helpful for inhalational irritants. Speaking with people who wax floors, knowing their schedule and situating yourself somewhere as far from them as possible while they are doing their jobs + 30 min to allow the fumes to dissipate might help. Otherwise, it is occipational exposure which is rather difficult to avoid or provide accomodations for. If the reaction happens one or two more times and/or require constant therapy to control, it might be a good reason to find some other area of nursing to work into.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

It is possible that you are either a Millennial or you are sensitive to the wax.

I have never heard of someone reacting to floor wax like that, and to be honest I think sometimes our brains play tricks on us and make us feel like we are dizzy and nauseas etc.

Annie

We used to experience this (respiratory irritation and watering eyes) in my previous clinical job when they stripped and waxed the floors- it's not the wax so much as they put industrial fans on it to dry the floor rapidly and rather than just a "What is that?" type of smell, it quickly becomes overpowering.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

This happened to me twice, with the same company, in my pre-nursing days. At 2 different locations, the main tenant decided to strip and refinish the floors after hours, either not knowing or not caring that people would still be working. Both times, we shut down early, evacuated the building, and moved soon after.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

It is possible that you are either a Millennial or you are sensitive to the wax.

I have never heard of someone reacting to floor wax like that, and to be honest I think sometimes our brains play tricks on us and make us feel like we are dizzy and nauseas etc.

Annie

And the millennial-bashing begins.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

It is possible that you are either a Millennial or you are sensitive to the wax.

I have never heard of someone reacting to floor wax like that, and to be honest I think sometimes our brains play tricks on us and make us feel like we are dizzy and nauseas etc.

Annie

Given that her neighbor (who had no knowledge of the floor waxing) noted the flushing and puffy eyes, I'm inclined to think the OP reacted to something. Besides if that type of sx is psychogenic, how come I can't wear my Chanel no. 5 at work?

[Troberson78]

Hi,

My family has been running a Floor Care company for over 25 years. I myself have never exhibited any symptoms from stripping and waxing VCT floors. That's not to say that there aren't certain health risks. Mostly people complain about the smell from the stripper used to remove the old wax.

That being said, I found an interesting article that might help you to define what is exactly causing your health issues:

PVC Flooring & Toxic Cleaning Products in Schools

Thanks,

Tom Roberson

DBS Carpet and Floor Care

DBS Carpet & Floor Care | DBS Carpet & Floor Care

[sevensonnets]

I have asthma and have ended up in the ER several times due to floor wax. Our unit secretary has much more severe asthma than I do. A policy was put into place that she and I float somewhere on floor waxing days. The next day when the fumes die down we can both come back home.

[amoLucia]

I have asthma and have ended up in the ER several times due to floor wax. Our unit secretary has much more severe asthma than I do. A policy was put into place that she and I float somewhere on floor waxing days. The next day when the fumes die down we can both come back home.

I wish that was my fate when I was working. Working NOC in a small NH doesn't leave much room for switching work schedules.

[CelticGoddess, BSN, RN]

I wish that was my fate when I was working. Working NOC in a small NH doesn't leave much room for switching work schedules.

Sadly, you are correct. I didn't develop my asthma issues when I worked LTC or I would have just had to suffer (or die). I fractured my elbow (at work, no less) and they freaked out when they realized that I wasn't going to be able to work. Pretty much had to be dead to get time off and even that was hard to get approved.