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        You are here: Home / Archives for Committees / Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

        On The Watch Against Bed Bugs

        June 26, 2015 20:00

        Along with the warm weather throughout our route network comes an increase in bugs that we see at our layover hotels. One very particular type of bug that we should all be very concerned about is the bed bug.

        No matter whether you’re on a layover, overnighting for training, or on a personal vacation, it’s always a best practice to inspect your room for signs of bed bugs as soon as you get to your room. Despite their name, bed bugs do not live in bed—they only eat there. During the day they hide in cracks and crevices (the size of a credit card or less) of furniture. Adult bugs are about the size of an apple seed and are visible to the naked eye.

        First Things First–Check Your Room

        • Pull back a sheet corner on the bed and check for signs of bugs. Look for brown/black dot stains on the mattress and possibly molted bed bug skins
        • Check the areas where the mattress rests on the box spring, inside any folds or under buttons or piping
        • Take a close look at the headboard, picture frames and nightstands for any sign of hiding bugs
        • Check in books or hotel literature around the bed. Bed bugs have been found on index tabs in the in-room bible.
        • Bed bugs can also be detected by their characteristic smell of rotting raspberries

        Help, I Found Bed Bugs In My Room!

        If you find bed bugs upon check in or at any time during your stay, notify the front desk staff immediately and move to another room. Report the incident on a Flight Attendant Incident Report and fill out a report on CrewCare (http://www.alaskaaircrew.com). CrewCare reports are forwarded to management and your AFA Hotel Committee Members.

        More About Bed Bugs

        The United States Environmental Protection Agency has some great resources and information about bed bugs available at http://www2.epa.gov/bedbugs.

        In Solidarity,

        Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt, MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson Laura Hinojosa and MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Chairperson Seth Heiple

        AFA Alaska

        Filed Under: Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC), Hotel Committee, Latest News Tagged With: 2015, bedbugs, Crewcare, Hotel

        Clarification to iPhone 6+ Charging

        March 30, 2015 17:00

        On March 8, an AFA communication was released outlining recommendations for the iPhone 6+ inflight mobile device that is currently being distributed to all Flight Attendants. In that communication, it was suggested that Flight Attendants could potentially leave the iPhone 6+ in their crew bag while the device was plugged in and charging.

        After further review of documentation provided by Apple, it is recommended that you do not leave your iPhone 6+ in your crew bag while it is charging. The iPhone 6+ must be kept in a well-ventilated area while charging in order to ensure proper temperature regulation of the device. When charging your iPhone 6+, please ensure it is in an open area away from materials that could insulate the device and potentially cause it to overheat.

        You can find more information and safety recommendations pertaining to use of the device in the iPhone User Guide located on the Apple website at https://manuals.info.apple.com/MANUALS/1000/MA1565/en_US/iphone_user_guide.pdf.

        In Solidarity,

        Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt and MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Chairperson Seth Heiple

        MEC 5B Logo

        Filed Under: Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC), Inflight Service Committee, Latest News Tagged With: 2015, inflight mobile device, iPhone 6+

        Harvard Flight Attendant Health Study Survey

        February 25, 2015 20:00

        Researchers from Harvard University are continuing their study of Flight Attendant health and need your help in collecting information. You’ll find a letter below regarding the study and what you can do to help. Your participation matters; please take a moment to take the survey now if you haven’t already.

        In Solidarity,

        Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt and MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Chairperson Seth Heiple


         

        Harvard

         

        Dear Flight Attendant,

        We keep climbing, but we are only 50% towards our goal for participation, so we extended our deadline to March 8th.  Get your survey completed by 3/8/15 11:59 PM PST and you will automatically be entered into a raffle for an Apple Watch.  We need YOU!   We’ve doubled our numbers in the last few days, so we know you can do it.

        Our results will only be as strong as our participation.  The more flight attendants who tell us about their health, the better our knowledge will be.  Have you retired or changed jobs?  Have you participated in other flight attendant studies?  Have you started the survey, but haven’t had time to complete it?  Do you only have time to take it on your phone or tablet?  Great, you’re still eligible to participate—the only requirement for participation is that you worked as a flight attendant in the past.

        Take 15 to 20 minutes of your time to inform our understanding of flight attendant health for YEARS to come.  Join us at Harvard University School of Public Health by

        Following this link to the Survey: www.fahealth.org/harvard-study

        Also, please let your friends know that ALL flight attendants are welcome to participate.  We’ve heard some flight attendants have not received an email from us or maybe our email was caught in spam, so please spread the word that ANY former or current flight attendant can take the survey at www.fahealth.org.

        Sincerely,

        Dr. Eileen McNeely, Principal Investigator, Flight Attendant Health Study
        Dr. Sara Gale, Project Manager, Flight Attendant Health Study

        Harvard School of Public Health
        Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Research
        Landmark Center, Room 3-098
        401 Park Drive, P.O. Box 15697
        Boston, MA 02115
617-384-8861
        www.fahealth.org

        Filed Under: Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC), Latest News Tagged With: & Security, 2015, Air Safety, F/A Health, Harvard Study, health

        Too Fatigued to Fly

        January 8, 2015 20:25

        Crewmember fatigue is a serious issue facing pilots and Flight Attendants and has gained considerable media attention over the last several years. New federal regulations addressing pilot fatigue contained in 14 FAR 117 took effect January 4, 2014. Despite the advances being made for pilots, federal regulations addressing rest and fatigue for Flight Attendants continue to lag behind.

        Our Fatigue Policy: There Isn’t One

        Neither our contract nor the Flight Attendant Manual addresses the issue of Flight Attendant fatigue. No provision exists for a Flight Attendant to call in “fatigued”. Despite numerous requests from AFA to discuss a fatigue policy, management will not enter into a discussion at this time. This leaves us as Flight Attendants with very few options when we are too fatigued to continue working.

        I’m Too Fatigued To Fly, What Are My Options?

        If you are unable to continue flying due to fatigue, management’s position is that your only option is to call in sick online (SO). Calling in sick online will remove you from your trip and you will receive corresponding attendance points and, if you have available sick leave, be paid sick leave for any flying not yet completed on the pairing. You’ll have the ability to submit a point reduction form to mitigate any points if you haven’t already submitted one for the quarter.

        Write It Up—File an ASAP

        The ASAP Event Review Committee (ERC) has starting tracking fatigue-related events separately for reporting purposes. If you experience a fatigue-related event, please document it on an ASAP report. The Master Executive Council (MEC) is tracking the information from these reports in hopes that the company will see the importance of entering into a discussion and eventual development of a fatigue policy to help improve safety for our Flight Attendants, coworkers, and passengers alike.

        If you have any questions about Flight Attendant fatigue, please contact one of your Local Executive Council (LEC) Officers. Contact information is available on afaalaska.org under the Local Council menu.

        In Solidarity,

        Your MEC—Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt and MEC Grievance Chairperson Jennifer Wise-MacColl

         

        MEC 5B Logo

        Filed Under: Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC), Grievance Committee, Latest News Tagged With: 2015, ASAP, fatigue

        Ebola Information for Flight Attendants

        October 20, 2014 08:00

        Due to recent concerns about the potential spread of the Ebola virus, AFA International and AFA Alaska have been coordinating a response.  We have made resources easily accessible by providing a “one stop” shop on the AFA Alaska website.  You can find these resources at http://afaalaska.org/ashsc/ebola.  The Master Executive Council (MEC) will be updating the page as additional information becomes available.

        In Solidarity,

        Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt and MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Chairperson Seth Heiple

        MEC 5B Logo

        Filed Under: Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC), Latest News Tagged With: 2014, CDC, Ebola, health, October, safety, virus

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