5 July 2009 : Column 382W—continued
Aircraft:
Air Conditioning
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask
the Minister of State, Department for Transport what procedures are used to
quantify and investigate instances of air contamination on board commercial
aircraft; and if he will make a statement. [286905]
Paul Clark [holding answer 14 July 2009]: The principal
procedure is the Mandatory Occurrence Reporting scheme which the Civil Aviation
Authority (CAA) established in 1976. Its objectives are to ensure that the CAA is
advised of any hazardous, or potentially hazardous, incidents and defects
(occurrences), and that appropriate action is taken. All reports are
disseminated to the relevant specialists in CAA. The Head of the Aviation
Health Unit will see any where health effects are reported.
Should an individual wish to bypass his employer in
reporting an incident, a separate procedure exists whereby details can be sent
to the Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme.