Parents of Springbrook High School in Silver Spring, MD are outraged. Last month, Springbrook High football coaches suspected one of the team player’s developed a staph infection. The trainer, worried that it might spread, acted quickly and had the locker room sprayed with a disinfectant.
However, junior defensive lineman Matthew Robinson, started to feel a burning sensation on his chest and back during practice later that day. Other players were in pain as well and by the next morning the Silver Spring school and coaching staffs were flooded with calls about numerous players suffering from 1st and second degree burns that forced them to seek medical attention.
How Bad Were The Burns?
After practice several players had to seek medical attention. Robinson spent three days in the hospital when his burns became infected. He said his burns were dark pink by the end of practice and resembled rug burn. However in the morning the burns turned black and looked more serious. On a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the most pain, Robinson said the pain was at about at 7 during practice. By the end of the day Robinson said the pain became unbearable which eventually lead him to the hospital. Robinson will miss the rest of the season.
Burns Due to Springbrook High’s Negligence?
The staph infection turned out to be a false alarm and now parents of the injured players are furious at how the school handled the situation. The school improperly used a powerful cleaning agent without informing parents about the disinfectant and the suspected staph infection. Sam Rivera, the principal of Springbrook High , said he would have expected the coach staff to inform the parents about the possibility of the staph infection and the precautionary locker room sanitation. Rivera acknowledged that the school was at fault for how it applied the disinfectant.
What Was The Disinfectant That Was Used?
Virex II 256 was the strong disinfectant used to spray the locker room. The label on Virex specifically stated it was used for surfaces such as walls and floors. The label also warned that the disinfectant is corrosive and can cause irreversible skin burns So using the disinfectant on football pads and helmets was a terrible mistake.
Robinson’s mother said, “You injured my child by negligence so I’m going to let the legal system handle it.”
