Aviation Organophosphate Information Site

MEDIA RELEASE - (worldwide)

Wednesday, 21 November 2001

The web site www.aopis.org (Aviation Organophosphate Information Site) was recently launched by a group of concerned flight crews.

The site provides information about the potential exposure of airline crews (pilots & flight attendants) worldwide to organophosphates, and other toxic/hazardous and harmful chemicals leaking into aircraft cabin air supply during ground and air operations.

These contaminants are found in aircraft cabin air under non-normal conditions such as engine oil leaks following oil seal failures or partial failures, as well as exposure to hydraulic lubricants.

Independent academic research reviewing the possible health risks and flight safety issues has established that exposure to contaminated air on airplanes can lead to serious health problems.

While some airline operators have acknowledged that air contamination may be associated with short-term health effects, longer-term effects are now emerging, and in some cases, such medical problems include the loss of crew medical certificates.

Recent Government Inquiries in Australia & in the UK have raised the concern of exposure by crew and passengers to a variety of chemical hazards including irritants, sensitisers and neurotoxicants but the problem remains unresolved.

These leaks are potentially a major safety & health issue with several alarming incidents having already taken place.

We hope that this information will become far more accessible to those who are affected.

For Further information please contact : info@aopis.org

Please see attached information for detailed analysis of the problem.

Additional information is available on our website. www.aopis.org

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PROBLEM OVERVIEW

There is growing evidence which includes aircraft defects, incident and fume inhalation reports and industry data including aircraft service bulletins and aircraft service information leaflets relating to oil lubricant and cabin air supply contamination.

Federal Aviation Authority (USA) (FAA) airworthiness standards for aircraft air quality require enough fresh air to enable crewmembers to perform their duties without undue discomfort or fatigue. Additionally crew and passenger compartments must be free from harmful or hazardous concentrations of gases or vapours.

Where contamination of air in flight deck and passenger cabin occurs that is sufficient to cause symptoms of undue discomfort, fatigue, irritation or toxicity, this contravenes such legislation and is a clear flight safety and health concern.

Information involving fume exposures must no longer be seen as isolated and anecdotal and must be reviewed with appropriate actions taken.

AOPIS.org urges the FAA, Civil Aviation Authority (UK)(CAA), Civil Aviation Safety Authority(Australia) (CASA), Joint Aviation Authority(Europe) (JAA) & other Aviation Regulatory Authorities to review the following without delay:

• *Recognition that air quality/ fumes due exposure to oil lubricants and hydraulic fluids is a flight safety issue for pilots, cabin crew and passengers as well as a health issue with responsibility falling on industry, Aviation Regulators and Air Investigation Bureau's, and National Health and Safety bodies.
• * Regulations include the requirement for crew to be in a suitable state of health for flying an aircraft, therefore linking crew health and air safety.
• * Industry recognition that all fumes from the aircraft ventilation system are to no longer be treated as a nuisance and should be reported as an aircraft defect and viewed as a potential safety of flight issue.
• * National Aviation Regulators are urged to review reporting and defect regulatory requirements applicable to fumes from the aircraft ventilation systems during flight operations and subsequent actions required to ensure all regulations are met. Additionally regulators are urged to ensure industry and crew are educated as to the regulatory requirements applicable.
• * National Regulators are urged to liaise with Occupational Health bodies and academics on issues of exposure to air supply contaminants including aviation oils & hydraulic fluids undertaking applicable research specific to these abnormal events.
• * Crew undue discomfort/ fatigue from the aircraft ventilation system is a current airworthiness defect and possible certification issue.
• * Exposure to any hazardous/ harmful concentrations of gases or vapours via the aircraft ventilation system is a current airworthiness defect and possible certification issue.
• * Recognition that exposure to oil lubricants and hydraulic fluids is an engineering / design issue as well as maintenance issue
• * Requirement for appropriate toxicological standards to be set for operational crew during flight operations for exposure to all contaminants possible from oil and hydraulic fluid exposures in aircraft taking into account the unique environment involving reduced cabin pressures, lower oxygen levels and low humidity.
• * National Regulators to review what constitutes undue discomfort or other adverse effects in crew during flight operations taking into account the existing experience in the industry and current research during lubricant & fluid contamination.
• * It is urged that aircraft designers further consider the requirement for clean air and additionally establish appropriate operational detecting and warning systems, suitable for low volume toxic compounds including TCP(tricresyl phosphate), MOCP, DOCP, TOCP (Mono-orthocresyl phosphate, Di-orthocresyl phosphate & tri-orthocresyl phosphate), TMPP(trimethylpropane phosphate) & PAN(n phenyl-1-naphthylamine) and other compounds at reduced cabin pressures.
• * Establishment of suitable reporting program for flight crews experiencing fume exposure events to be linked to aircraft maintenance logs available to independent review committees as well as aviation regulatory authorities.
• * National Regulators are urged to establish better criteria for the full evaluation of flight crew medical risks on both short and long-term basis after exposure to aircraft air quality defects such as oil/hydraulic leaks taking into account multiple exposures to combinations of organic compounds in all operating conditions including in flight at reduced cabin pressures.
• * National Regulators are urged to develop defined medical tests and clinical history for flight crews subjected to fume exposure events involving oil and hydraulic fluid contaminants considering short and longer term implications.
• * It is urged that the Aviation Regulatory Medical Department's review air quality/ fume exposures such as oil & hydraulic leaks as an aviation medical issue involving flight safety as well as short and long term health effects.
• * National regulatory authorities should ensure all applicable information is provided to the aircraft type certificate holders
• * Aviation Regulator's and industry are urged to review the use of Oxygen by crew (pilots & cabin crew) whenever fume exposures occur (in addition to smoke)