Subject : Valuation of the use of DIPHOTERINE

Dear Miss Beaufrère,

Following different maintenance works in 1997 and 1998, we have had to deplore several accidents due to mechanical incidents that could not be prevented. The products involved were sulphuric acid (98%) and a caustic soda detergent (30%) :

• March 97 (caustic soda in the eye washed with water) resulted in 7 days lost from work.
• August 97 (sulphuric acid on the legs washed with water) resulted in a 3 months loss of work for this employee from an external company + skin grafts.

Since September 1997, after the agreement of occupational doctors (as we have several sites), the Comity of Hygiene and Safety at Work, the Safety Comity, and a specific training (made by PREVOR) of our first-aiders, we have generalized the introduction of DIPHOTERINE in the risky areas; with the following products :

• Mural Eyewash
• 100 ml micro DAP
• 5 Litres DAP

and Thus :

• The obligation to wear the Micro DAP on the belt for each intervention with a chemical risk for the maintenance agents.
• The permanent obligation to wear it for the laboratory agents
• 1 for assistance in each tool box
• 1 in each medicine chest

From this date, the incidents that occurred (pipes breaking) were transformed into minor accidents ; the complementary medical care were limited to :

• an eye lotion for the eyes No after-effect
• an ointment for the skin No days lost from work

The injured persons call it "the miraculous product" and are now the first to recommend it.

Yours sincerely,

Claude LEROUX

Safety and Environment co-ordinator