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        You are here: Home / Archives for toxic fumes

        Air Quality Quick Reminders

        December 5, 2023 09:00

        Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

        • Fume events can occur on flights for various reasons, such as oil leaks or mechanical issues.
        • Familiarize yourself with the symptoms of air quality, fume, and hypoxic events, so you know what to do if you suspect one is happening.
        • More resources are available on the Air Quality Subcommittee page of the AFA Alaska website.

        As Flight Attendants, our top priority is ensuring everyone onboard the aircraft has a safe and comfortable experience. However, despite our best efforts, unexpected situations can still arise. One such situation is a fume event, which can be caused by smoke, fumes, or a strong odor in the cabin. Fume events can occur for various reasons, such as oil leaks, hydraulic fluid leaks, or other mechanical issues. It’s essential to learn how to identify a fume event and what to do if one takes place to ensure the safety and well-being of yourself, fellow crewmembers, and passengers. To that end, we’d like to offer some reminders about what to do if you suspect a fume event is happening.

        How To Identify A Fume Event

        • Pay attention to unpleasant/unusual odors coming from the air supply system. 
        • Use the FOUR S’s
          • Identify the SOURCE. Is this coming from the air supply vents or a cabin item?  
          • Explain the SMELL. Description including strength, duration, and when it started/the phase of flight. 
          • Describe the SITE. Where is observed in the cabin: forward, aft, galley, etc.?
          • What are the SYMPTOMS? See the list of possible symptoms below. Does anyone need medical attention?

        What To Do If Involved In An Air Quality/Fume Event

        • On The Ground
          • Notify Pilots, if present
          • Deplane, if possible
          • If you have symptoms (see below), call MedAire Crew Support at (800) 350-4390; have the CSA call paramedics, if needed.  
          • DO NOT return to the aircraft until it has been cleared Maintenance. You are not a sniff tester.
        • In the Air
          • If you have symptoms of hypoxia (see below), immediately don oxygen.
          • Notify Pilots 
          • Contact MedLink
          • If you can, fill out the Cabin Air Quality Reporting Form in the stationary kit and give it to Pilots.
        • Call the AFA Air Quality Reporting Hotline as soon as possible at (206) 457-2010, option 3
        • Notify Inflight management by calling scheduling and asking for the Manager on Duty (MOD)
        • It’s essential to familiarize yourself with the symptoms of both quality/fume/hypoxic events. 

        What Are The Possible Symptoms Of An Air Quality/Fume/Hypoxia Event? 

        • Headache
        • Dizziness
        • Fatigue or weakness
        • Nauseous 
        • Slowed thinking/delayed reactions
        • Tingling fingers/lips/toes/numbness
        • Irritated eyes/throat/nose
        • Abnormal taste
        • Trouble breathing
        • Multiple other physiological/neurological symptoms (some may have delayed onset)

        Our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) has developed resources to assist you if you have been in a suspected fume event. You can access this information by clicking here.

        Other Things To Keep In Mind

        • If multiple Flight Attendants and/or passengers are experiencing symptoms (see above), you may be experiencing an air quality/hypoxia event. 
        • When experiencing the above symptoms, communicate the possibility of an air quality event with the crew, including the pilots.
        • It is essential to communicate with the pilots. If they don’t document an air quality/fume event in the logbook, Maintenance will not inspect the aircraft.
        • Different people may experience varying symptoms and severities. 
        • Symptoms of exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in engine oil and hydraulic fluid are similar to carbon monoxide exposure. It’s possible to mistake symptoms of VOC exposure for carbon monoxide exposure.

        Questions?

        If you have any questions, please visit the ASHSC Air Quality Subcommittee page on the AFA Alaska website or email us at airquality@afaalaska.org.

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, Air Quality, Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Tagged With: toxic fumes

        AFA Update – August 16, 2019

        August 16, 2019 12:00

        In This Edition

        • Hotel Crew Room Blocks Card Now Online
        • REMINDER: Human Rights Committee Forming
        • TAKE ACTION: Stop Toxic Fumes!
        • Cabin Air Quality Resources

        Hotel Crew Hotel Room Blocks Card Now Online

        Hotel Committee

        Your AFA Hotel Committee has succeeded in their effort to have the Crew Hotel Room Blocks card uploaded to an easily accessible location on both the Inflight website and the IMD.  The Crew Hotel Room Blocks card (commonly known as the “purple card”) is a quick reference card that provides information about appropriate hotel room features and room locations.  This card can be shown to hotel staff when you are assigned a hotel room that does not meet the requirements of the company’s contract with the hotel in order to hopefully remedy the situation on-the-spot. 

        Going forward, the Crew Hotel Room Blocks card will be published on the first page of the monthly Hotel Hotline document.  The Hotel Hotline can be found on the Flight Attendant website under Hotel, Travel & Station > Hotel Hotline.  On the IMD, you can find the Hotel Hotline under ASFASupplemental > Hotel Hotline.

        If you have any questions, please reach out to your Local Hotel Committee.

        REMINDER: Human Rights Committee Forming

        Human Rights Committee

        In 2018, the AFA Board of Directors approved the creation of Human Rights Committees across AFA, with committees to be formed at each Local Council and MEC.  Members of the Human Rights Committee will work to promote activities that foster greater understanding of one another and the diversity of our membership in order to build the strength of our Union through our common struggles and goals rather than allowing others to divide us by our differences.  This work will involve close coordination with local community and CWA allies to engage in efforts that advance both human rights and worker’s rights.

        As part of the formation of the Committee, volunteer involvement opportunities are available both at the local level (Local Human Rights Committee Chairperson) and the airline level (MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson).  If you are interested in filling the role of Local Human Rights Committee Chairperson, please refer to recent communications from your Local Executive Council (LEC) Officers or contact your LEC President.

        MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson

        Information about the MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson can be found in the August 2, 2019 AFA Update.

        The MEC will hold interviews for the position of MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson during the September MEC meeting on Tuesday, September 17.  Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume online at https://forms.gle/bns2FHqC11PLe3889.  The deadline for submissions is 5 PM Pacific time on Tuesday, September 10.  After that time, MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou will contact qualified candidates to schedule a specific interview time.

        Please note that in order to submit an expression of interest, you must have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

        TAKE ACTION: Stop Toxic Fumes!

        Government Affairs Committee

        The Cabin Air Safety Act of 2019 aims to protect airline passengers and crew from the harmful effects of toxic cabin air.

        “Our workspace is the public’s travel space and in that space today, crews and passengers are breathing toxins and it has to stop,” said AFA International President Sara Nelson.

        Call your Representative and Senators today and tell them to cosponsor the Cabin Air Safety Act. The House bill is H.R. 2208 and the Senate bill is S. 1112. 

        Call Your Representative: 866-937-4359

        Call Your Senators: 877-750-7411 

        “Hi, my name is_________. As a constituent and a Flight Attendant, I am calling to ask you to cosponsor the Cabin Air Safety Act of 2019. Flight Attendants and passengers can be exposed to toxic fumes in the cabin. We need the FAA to intervene and implement protections. Support clean air onboard for passengers and Flight Attendants!”

        AFA’s efforts to improve the cabin environment span the last three decades, from advocating for smoke-free skies to stopping poisonous pesticide spraying to addressing the dangers of contaminated bleed air. We advocate that the airline industry either end the use of engine bleed air for cabin air supply like on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner or mitigate the circulation of contaminated air. In 2015, AFA was an active member of the ICAO task group that published Circular 344, which advises airlines to enhance their operational procedures to minimize onboard exposure to smoke and fumes. This led to an FAA Safety Alert published in 2018. This is progress, but it doesn’t go far enough. 

        “Most Americans go to work with the expectation of breathing clean air. Flight Attendants don’t have this guarantee, and it is past time for that to change,” AFA President Sara Nelson said.

        Cabin Air Quality Resources

        Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – Air Quality Subcommittee

        Your AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) and Air Quality Subcommittee have worked with AFA International to put together a number of tools and resources to use in the event of a cabin air fume event.  Some of the resources available are listed below.

        Air Quality Fume Event FAQs

        The Committee has compiled a comprehensive question and answer document to help provide information about many of the questions and concerns that have been received about cabin air fume events.

        You can access the Q&A document by clicking here.

        Air Quality Exposure Quick Reference Card

        The Air Quality Exposure Quick Reference Card is a wallet sized card that explains what to do in a contaminated cabin air exposure event.  The card can be kept in a badge holder behind your company ID or in your wallet.

        The card was recently updated by the Committee and now includes information about the Airbus fleet.  If you currently have an older version of the card, please destroy your old card and replace it with a newly updated one. The updated cards are currently being distributed to each domicile.

        Look for more information from your Local Council about where to pick one up at your base.  You can access and print the card on the AFA Alaska website by clicking here.

        AFA Alaska Website

        Additional air quality information, including a flow chart that describes what to do in a cabin air fume event, can be found at afaalaska.org under Committees > Air Safety, Health, & Security (ASHSC) > Air Quality.

        Questions?

        If you have additional questions about cabin air quality or the AFA resources available, please email airquality@afaalaska.org or contact a member of your Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC).  

        Filed Under: Air Quality, Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC), Government Affairs Committee, Hotel Committee, Human Rights & Equity Committee, Latest News Tagged With: 2019, air quality, cabin air, committee chairperson appointment, crew rooms, Government Affairs, Hotel Committee, hotels, Human Rights Committee, interviews, MEC Committee Chairperson, toxic fumes

        Need Help?

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