Um...What the Hell?
- It took a lot to slow down Kevin M. Robinson.
"He barely ever had a cold," his former wife, Camille Robinson, who had two children with him, said Friday. "And if he did have a minor cold, he never took off work."
That's why Robinson's family and friends were stunned early last month when the 15-year Chicago police veteran was hospitalized after they say he accidently inhaled a cleaning substance at the Morgan Park Police District station.
Robinson's lungs all but shut down, forcing doctors at Advocate Trinity Hospital to place the 42-year-old in a medically induced coma until he died Monday, his family said.
Is this some undiagnosed condition that popped up or are the cleaning crews inadvertently mixing a witches' brew of deadly chemicals? And why is everyone just hearing about this now? Shouldn't there have been some sort of safety alert if they know it was the chemicals being used to clean stations? This happened a month ago for pete's sake.
Labels: safety issues
posted by SCC at 12:05 AM
79 Comments:
Any cleaning crew person sick? Details, please, for safety's sake.
Sincerest sympathy to the family. How awful.
Ammonia + Bleach = Deadly
rip brother
Great cop and someone you were happy when he was backing you up. Rip kevin
Was shocked as all get up when I'd read this. A great man!
I wish the family all the best during their mourning.
Sounds like the powers that be are keeping it hush hush because of the imminent law suit about to be dropped by his family.
Sounds like a bottle of ammonia ..... ?
Kevin always had a smile on his face. R I P
RIP my former CHAPD blue shirt brother......
God Bless Him and His Family...
There is some thing to be alerted here for ourselves and our families.
I am no expert, but I do know that some chemicals common in households can be highly toxic when inhaled.
Maybe take a few minutes and check out what is in your basement, under your kitchen sink or garage. What can your kids get at?
When working, on a call be alert for walking into areas where people are falling out. Find out was there a spill of any kind or machinery running.
I could go on...
Stay Safe, and don't be the blue Canary.
We're not machines, some of us react differently to different substances. He was probably allergic to that particular combination of chemicals.
oh come on... WTF
This cant be true! We are the police. How could we all not know about something like this happening in one of our own stations?
Rip Kevin. Sorry Curtis. Both great officers from 022.
Since it appears no one else was affected, it may well have been some kind of allergic reaction as someone else suggested. Some people are just sensitive to certain things - like people who go into anaphylactic shock at the mere sight of peanuts.
Most likely not something for anyone else to be concerned with, despite the tragic consequences for this particular person.
Poor guy!!! I bet the cleaning person feels really bad
It might be a bad batch that the company bought. We've been coughing our heads off in 20 - the stuff they've been using is awful!!!
The department owes a through speedy,investigation and public release of results to all members. Anything less is criminal. This might or might not be true.Where is the FOP?? A potential safety violation of immense proportions.
Very sad story to learn about a month later. This should have been released to all facilities with a caution as soon as it happened. I hope the City does the right thing without giving the family a hard time.
this should be in the front of the newspaper or news this is very sad and very important this is a news maker the media lack in their ability to report the real news.
* ALERT *
as usual don't look this information up in the station computer cause there will be a blank cr # obtain
only 35 michigan can be the nosy ones that is why they didn't release this imformation cause they waited for this man to pass how sad and not even place an alert for officers safety since they do work in police districts and this should have been first priority for officer safety be safe on the street and in the stations look out for each others .
Merely reaffirming what the second poster on this site stated....YES, a simple mixture of bleach and ammonia together can/will cause a deadly gas when inhaled.
Please be careful!
RIP Brother.
City building, city contracted cleaning crews, city purchased chemicals, officer on duty at the time, Tiny Dancer had better not fuck with the LODD benefits he has coming.
017 smells like dirty socks half the time.
God bless out brother and his family! GodSpeed!
sorry for your and our loss. A Great Man and Officer, should not have been this way. RIP Brother
Tragic....Rest In Peace
I hope it's considered work related so the family can be taken care of
He was at roll call with his whole team. No one else got sick. It was probably not the chemicals. He in all likelihood was sick prior. If he had a weakened respiratory system he could react to something that isn't toxic at all. This was a terrible, awful tragedy but I don't think the city and the cleaning crews are at fault. Kevin you will be missed. Your family is in my prayers.
ammonia and bleach,the makeup of fosgene that was used in ww1, this stuff left ukn amt. of doughboys suffering till they died, my uncle was one. old revolver copper.
Why wasn't anyone else affected
please list type of cleaning fluid that was inhaled
this is a safety issue and this danger could be present at other districts
The department never has saftey alerts unless forced to. Look at the range officers, they had to sue.
The loop traffic guys were never told about the dangers of polution.
Patrol was never told about the vehicle problems,
The airport guys were never told about the toxic fumes
The Old HQ staff was never told about the mold and spore problems
Contact OSHA. They need to know and investigate.
ANY MORE DETAILS??? where in the station was he when this happened?? who long was he exposed? do we know what chemicals? etc
Where is the media??????!!!!!!! If some shitbag has an asthma attack while in the lockup they write about it. Policemen are nothing to society anymore. RIP
Horrible and heart breaking.
Our prayers to the officers' family and to our CPD brethren on your loss.
Duke
A bottle of standard household ammonia, spilled, would be annoying but not lethal. Some commercial grades might be more concentrated, I don't know. It is unlikely to have been the very dangerous anhydrous ammonia, which is an industrial refrigerant.
A more likely culprit is that the officer inhaled a fine mist of something more solvent-like. This is especially bad if the material is not water soluble, like turpentine and such. Just a drop, inhaled deeply, will spread over the moist surface of the lungs just like a drop of oil on water. It often leads to a very nasty thing called chemical pneumonitis.
Sad. My condolences to the family.
Rest In Peace Officer...
Condolences to his family & friends.
Keep in mind that a lot of Police facilities are known and notorious health hazard clusters. (012, 013, the old 006 etc...)
The city knows this but for some strange reason cannot bring itself to do what's right by the minute percentage of people working to keep the majority safe and from harm.
Ironic how they so smugly complain about how coppers are complaining...
We never thought we'd see the day when Policemen are so openly and contemptuously thought of as being expendable.
"We don't care about your cares and concerns... Stop your complaining. You knew it would be like this when you signed up."
We agree... "Um... What the Hell" sums the circumstances up nicely. Look for a white-wash by the administration.
...As the song goes, "Same as it ever was..."
Chlorine bleach, when mixed with ammonia or acid (even vinegar), produces highly toxic gas. Amazing how many people don't know about this. If you're in an enclosed area, it can cause permanent lung damage.
RIP K-Rob, I had a good time working with you in 008. You will be greatly missed.
A former 008th District, 3rd Watch partner.
Hey Rahm, I know your not in office yet but how are you going to handle this? One of your Officers died simply by walking into work? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO RAHM?
"When working, on a call be alert for walking into areas where people are falling out. Find out was there a spill of any kind or machinery running.
"I could go on...
"Stay Safe, and don't be the blue Canary."
--4/09/2011 02:22:00 AM
Beware of what are called "Confined Spaces" -- manholes, inside of tanks, etc. "Confined Space Rescue" is a science by now. Correct breathing apparatus and training required.
There is a "chain death" phenomenon; one guy sees another unconscious in the tank, goes through the hatch to save him-- and succumbs himself. Another guy looks through the hatch and sees two guys laying down there, and...etc., one after the other.
Even the inside of an old water tank can be deadly; closed up for years, it rusts in there. The oxygen to make the rust came out of the air. Atmosphere will not support life.
Like you say, there's lots more -- but basically, don't be the canary.
Was an IOD done?
i cant even fathom this!
A LT LEAKS REPORTS TO THE MEDIA ABOUT SUM WANNABE RAPIST COPS AND MEMOS FLY ALL OVER THE CITY ABOUT THE RULES OF CONFIDENTIAL INFO.
ON THE OTHER HAND WE HAVE AN OFFICER INJURED GRAVELY BY CHEMICALS IN A POLICE STATION AND NOT EVEN AN EMAIL!!!
AND THE SAD THING IS WHAT DID THE WATCH REPS AND THE FOP REPS DO ABOUT THIS?
SAFETY GRIEVANCE?
ALERT THE LODGE?
GET IT TOGETHER!!!
The fact that we were not all informed of this immediately is sickening. My prayers are with his family. I hope that they are able to prove that those chemicals were the proximate cause of his death so that his family can be taken care of for the rest of their lives. Rip brother...
RIP Kevin. Peace to you and your partner Curtis.
LTJG
Where is the media??????!!!!!!! If some shitbag has an asthma attack while in the lockup they write about it. Policemen are nothing to society anymore. RIP
4/09/2011 11:54:00 AM
Ain't that the truth.
Just too sad for words...of all the risks that man had to face out in the streets, to be brought down by some cleaning chemicals right in one of our stations...
unbelievable.
Makes the department look like it's being run by a bunch of bumbling keystone cops.
It might be a bad batch that the company bought. We've been coughing our heads off in 20 - the stuff they've been using is awful!!!
020 district someone better pay attention and investigate this asap .
everyone start calling osha Please contact our toll free number immediately:
1-800-321-OSHA (6742
let them know what is going on asap
I spent four years working on the 12th floor of the old HQ bldg. Besides the heat going out on a regular basis and the roaches crawling in and out of the typewriters, we would come in the office in the morning and human feces would be running down the walls from an overflow in the lockup on 13.They would not let us go home under any circumstances. We just had to work around all of the bad stuff. No one cared .
Rest in Peace Friend
Could part of the reason everything is so hushed up is that Aguire Building Maintance Company may be hiring undocumented workers.
People who cannot read English like the the caution labels on the products that they use and are not trained to use?
I worked with Kevin and Curt while in 022, both are great officers. My thoughts and prayers to Kevin's family, which include Curt. This a sad day for us all.
Why is this not a line of duty death?
Perhaps I am missing the point or something bigger here - but forget the focus that he died breathing a chemical or combination - be outraged the department didn't send out a 501 on this. A poor PO Died and it didn't make it across the city when he was taken to the hospital and put into a coma - How many people would have at least added them to their prayers, or visited him??
A hell of a nice man died from some freak accident, but poor Kevin is no longer with us, and we should be offering condolences to his family, and friends. Not focusing on the overlooked safety hazard, for the love of GOD, every time you put that uniform on you're a walking safety hazard.
Think a moment about his his poor teenager children, such a terrible tragedy for them! May they find strength during these horribly sad and difficult times, their father was a great man, and his children should know this!!
He always had a smile on his face, had the cutest little laugh, and was very well liked. He made the day enjoyable!!
Forget the rest, that's for another day!! (or perhaps another month or so).
Lets wait until the test come back. More to this story.
For the first time in years I saw an account of a police involved shooting on WGN Channel 9 and there was someone from the Fraternal order of Police giving the police side of the shooting.
There he was, Mr Pat Camden in the flesh defending our officer. Maybe just coincidence but there was no account from the scholar's auntie or baby momma.
Mike Shiels is keeping his word, and fast too!
Way to go Mike!
The 45th Ward is home to a large number of police officers and their families, and still they were unable to get their guy in. You need to simmer down with the New mayor he knows you can not turn an election.
You may get more with a little sugar. Kissing ass is what you do best.
Kevin you were the best of us all. You will be greatly missed my Cavalier brother class of 86.
Our non English speaking cleaning crews have plenty of stuff in unmarked spray bottles. Only they and God know what they are....
All the training is on the job and is passed on from one cleaning person to the next, not in English.
I'm not sure if ALL the chemicals they use have the instructions in their native language or not.
West side district....
HATER said...
i cant even fathom this!
A LT LEAKS REPORTS TO THE MEDIA ABOUT SUM WANNABE RAPIST COPS AND MEMOS FLY ALL OVER THE CITY ABOUT THE RULES OF CONFIDENTIAL INFO.
ON THE OTHER HAND WE HAVE AN OFFICER INJURED GRAVELY BY CHEMICALS IN A POLICE STATION AND NOT EVEN AN EMAIL!!!
AND THE SAD THING IS WHAT DID THE WATCH REPS AND THE FOP REPS DO ABOUT THIS?
SAFETY GRIEVANCE?
ALERT THE LODGE?
GET IT TOGETHER!!!
4/09/2011 03:59:00 PM
Sad but the truth is we are all expendable to them. The brass only care about us if we step on our dicks and they could possibly lose their spots. Otherwise they could care less. Sad that we all learned about this in the news or via SCC.
"[Inhaling a material] is especially bad if the material is not water soluble, like turpentine and such. Just a drop, inhaled deeply, will spread over the moist surface of the lungs just like a drop of oil on water. It often leads to a very nasty thing called chemical pneumonitis."
--4/09/2011 12:18:00 PM
Yes, many of the sailors on tankers which were torpedoed died from this, from swallowing/inhaling the oil that was floating a foot thick on the water around the ship as they tried to swim away. They could be rescued, brought on board, warmed up, given hot tea, and would still not recover.
This was also very recently seen in the tsunami survivors in Japan; a lot of oil tanks, gasoline and solvent tanks, etc. were thrown around and burst by those huge waves as though they were mere 12-ounce cans, and people ingested this along with the sea water as they swam, grabbed floating objects, tried to find safety.
There were awful night aerial shots of one town, Kesennuma, where everything that wasn't under water was on fire from the floating oils.
The devil could hardly have done better...
This was a good guy, great attitude and the real police. Did not take shit from anybody. Always smiling. I worked with him in narcotics and 022....a horrible loss. RIP Kev.....hang in there Curtis!
Just saw him at cops for kids bowling event, he was very happy with work and life. We joked had a beer, always thinking I'd see him again.... Damn life changes quick. RIP k-rob
To 4/09/2011 10:30:00 AM:
Your post: "ammonia and bleach,the makeup of fosgene that was used in ww1, this stuff left ukn amt. of doughboys suffering till they died, my uncle was one. old revolver copper."
First of all it's spelled PHOSGENE.
Second, here is it's chemical make-up: Phosgene is produced by passing purified carbon monoxide and chlorine gas through a bed of porous activated carbon, which serves as a catalyst. Not even close to the amount of ammonia and/or bleach used in cleaning solutions, hence the term "CONCENTRATED AMOUNTS".
Third: If your "uncle" was a doughboy in WWI, then YOU must be up in age slick...... as there are only 2 WWI surviving veterans left, and one is a British woman who served with the Women's Flying Corps. The other is an Australian citizen who was then a British Navy veteran who is 111 years old today. The last surviving U.S. WWI vet Frank Woodruff Buckles passed away almost 2 months ago.
Hey Rahm, I know your not in office yet but how are you going to handle this? One of your Officers died simply by walking into work? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO RAHM?
4/09/2011 02:21:00 PM
I think you've answered your own question. He is NOT THE MAYOR.
Why wasn't this common knowledge among the troops? One of us is gone and not a peep about it.
RIP, CHAPD.
To: 4/10/2011 12:55:00 AM
From: Another Old Revolver Cop
My Italian immigrant grandfathers were a World War I vets and I had a grand uncle who chased Pancho Villa on horseback with then Lieutenant George Patton.
I still remember them.
God Bless'em and Glad they caught the boat.
Services for Tactical Officer Kevin Robinson are as follows: St Jude Ceremony & Wake, Monday 11 April 2011, Brookins Funeral Home 9315 S. Ashland Chgo 60620 1400 to 2100 hours, St Jude Ceremony @ 1900 hours; Funeral Tuesday 12 April 2011, Third Baptist Church, 1551 W 95th St, Chgo, 60643, Visitation 1000 hours, Funeral 1100 hours. Internment to follow Restvale Cemetery 11700 S Laramie Ave Alsip, IL 60803
RIP Officer....thoughts & prayers to his family. Very Sad.
To 12:55am, hope you work 10-99, because I can't imagine anyone spending a tour in a car with your know-it-all look down upon people b.s. So what if that poster incorrectly spelled phosgene, or got the contents confuced, or is old, or just refers to great uncles as uncles in order to make them not seem so old. Get a life. RIP Officer
Makes the department look like it's being run by a bunch of bumbling keystone cops.
4/09/2011 06:22:00 PM
It took this horrible incident for you to realize that???
Must not read this blog real often.
Third: If your "uncle" was a doughboy in WWI, then YOU must be up in age slick......
4/10/2011 12:55:00 AM
Why be rude?
Your post was informative, even well-written, except for using it's, instead of its, but the personal slam was pointless.
I have been complaining about this at our location for years! The cleaning crews mix products that contain ammonia with bleach, which produces chlorine gas. In an enclosed space like a bathroom, the fumes can be completely, overwhelmingly toxic.
It must be tolerable for most, but some people have chemical sensitivities. I never knew I did until I came in contact with this this neon purple and pink colored stuff the cleaning crews use. Two times I went into the bathroom and came out thinking I was having as asthma attack, but I don't have asthma. Both times, over the next couple of days, the symptoms did not subside but instead devolved into a severe, weeks long respiratory infection. Doctor said it was most likely the chemicals.
Now when I see the cleaning crews have their buckets out I stay away. I would gladly supply them with some products that are not used in chemical warfare.
This officer's death is so sad because it was so preventable.
he was a GREAT guy, its a shame
I hear a lot of warm felt and deserved sadness on part of our loss, but I feel more outrage and anger that this happened, Im sorry but this should have never happened and someone is liable for wrongful death
RIP Kevin !!!
dont mix bleach and ammonia
makes ammonium chloride gas
My condolences to the family Its a shame
Hopefully the pension bd will take care of him like they took care of John Thomas
Every bottle of cleaner has a warning on it, giving clear caution as to NOT mix it with. Is it a case of "I cant read english" or is it intentional?? A child fucking around.. ok shit happens, but not someone who is in the cleaning business, this is bullshit
Will FLOP issue a safety bulletin after the Autopsy Toxicology Report is released?
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