CARSON — Employees at a local medical equipment company may have been exposed to a cancer-causing gas for months while managers may have known about the danger but failed to protect them, county officials say.
Investigators raided Parter Medical Products on July 17 after allegations surfaced that workers were breathing ethylene oxide, a toxic chemical that can cause cancer, reproductive problems and brain damage, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The gas is invisible and has no smell until it reaches dangerous levels, meaning workers may not know they’re being poisoned, officials said.
The company operates as Parter Sterilization Services and uses the gas to clean medical equipment and devices. While ethylene oxide is commonly used in medical sterilization, it requires strict safety measures to prevent workers from getting sick.
“Ethylene oxide can silently poison people over time — causing cancer, damaging organs, and cutting lives short,” District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said.
The investigation centers on whether company managers learned that employees were being exposed to harmful levels of the chemical but didn’t take steps to fix the problem. Such exposure can happen gradually over time, with health effects that may not appear for years.
More than 20 investigators from the district attorney’s office, fire department and state toxic substances regulators searched the facility. They’re looking for documents and equipment that could show how long workers were exposed and what company officials knew.
For workers in similar industries, the case highlights the importance of workplace safety protections. Employees have the right to work in environments free from known health hazards, and companies are required by law to protect workers from toxic chemical exposure.
The health effects of ethylene oxide exposure can be serious. Long-term exposure has been linked to various cancers, including lymphoma and breast cancer. It can also cause reproductive harm and damage to the nervous system.
Assistant Head Deputy Daniel Wright is leading the investigation for the District Attorney’s office. The multi-agency search allows investigators to gather evidence about when the exposure occurred and what the company knew about the risks to its workers.
Anyone with information about the investigation can contact Wright at (213) 257-3001.
