Ammon News - A cleaner has been accused of wiping out 25 years of research after turning off a laboratory freezer to stop an “annoying” beeping sound.
Joseph Herrington’s employer, Daigle Cleaning Systems, is being sued for $1 million (£786,535) by the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), which accuses him of destroying potentially “groundbreaking” research by shutting off the appliance.
The cleaning firm had a $1.4 million contract to clean the private university in Troy, New York, between August and November 2020.
On Sept 14 2020, the alarm for a freezer containing “numerous cell cultures and samples” was triggered when the temperature fluctuated from its prescribed -80C (-112F) temperature.
A temperature fluctuation of 3C could cause “catastrophic” damage, court documents filed with Rensselaer County Clerk said.
Prof K V Lakshmi, professor of chemistry and chemical biology, who runs the laboratory, determined that the samples were not being compromised.
Specimens ‘rendered unsalvageable’
Because of Covid-19, the freezer manufacturer could not attend to repair the freezer until Sept 21.
A sign was placed on the freezer door that read: “This freezer is beeping as it is under repair. Please do not move or unplug it. No cleaning required in this area. You can press the alarm/test mute button for 5-10 seconds if you would like to mute the sound.”
On Sept 17, Mr Herrington was reportedly cleaning the laboratory when he turned off the circuit breaker that provided electricity to the freezer.
The lawsuit, filed on June 16, stated that the internal temperature had risen by 50C by the time students returned to the laboratory and discovered what had happened.
The majority of specimens were “compromised, destroyed and rendered unsalvageable, demolishing more than 20 years of research”.
In an interview with the university following the incident, Mr Herrington admitted to hearing “annoying alarms”. He thought important circuit breakers had been turned off and believed he was turning them back on.
‘Careless and reckless’
“At the end of the interview he still did not believe he had done anything wrong but was just trying to help”, the lawsuit stated.
“People’s behaviour and negligence caused all this. Unfortunately, they wiped out 25 years of research,” Michael Ginsberg, whose law firm Pattison, Sampson, Ginsberg and Griffin is representing RPI, told local newspaper Times Union.
RPI filed six causes for action with the court, including one claiming the defendant was “negligent, careless and reckless in hiring Joe Herrington, who lacked the ability to perform his duties”. It stated that the firm failed to properly train him.
RPI is seeking a trial and is pursuing the firm for $1 million in damages, plus legal fees.
Daigle Cleaning Services has been approached for comment.
Telegraph