Air Quality IncidentsEvents/Fumes in the CabinEverything you need to know in one place.

• The Air you Breathe Onboard:

Created by the Association of Flight Attendants AFL-CIO.

In collaboration with Spirit ASHS Team

The air supply vents are one source of odors (“fumes”) in the cabin and flight deck. It is important to be able

to recognize and respond to unusual, unpleasant odors coming from the air supply vents, and to

distinguish them from odor sources inside the cabin. This presentation will teach you how.

3

• Inflight, the air outside the cabin is too cold and “thin” (low oxygen) for anyone to breathe it and survive.

• Outside air gets compressed and heated in either the engines or the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). Some of that hot, compressed air gets routed to the cabin and flight deck for ventilation air. It’s called “bleed air” because it’s bled (or “extracted”) off the engines.

• Before it’s sent to the cabin, the engine bleed air gets cooled and dehumidified (but not filtered). It’s also mixed with recirculated air, all in what is known as the Environmental Control System.

• That mix of engine bleed air and recirculated air is what comes through the vents at the top of the sidewalls, the main aisle, or both. Plus the gaspers, when they are open.

Cabin Air System

4

Types of Cabin Odor/Smoke Issues

• ODOR (without smoke or haze or mist)

• Most common

• Odors comes from many sources

• Can be pleasant, neutral, or offensive in character

• Most odors (like LAV or food odors) are not hazardous

• Some odors (like oil and hydraulic fluid fumes) are hazardous

• ACTION: Conduct a cabin check to see if EITHER there is an obvious in-cabin source for the odor OR if the odor is sourced to the air supply vents (could be oil or hydraulic fluid fumes)

• ODOR (with smoke or haze or mist)

• Less common than odor without smoke/haze/mist

• Same ACTION as above.

• ODOR (with smoke and potential for onboard fire)

• May indicate the presence of an onboard fire which is an extreme emergency

• Variety of sources and causes; different ACTION (procedures for cabin fire)

Cabin Odor/Smoke issues can be classified into three (3) types:

“Just Odor” (No Smoke/Haze) –Coming from the air supply vents

or not?

6

Odor Without Smoke or Haze: FROM THE VENTS?May Be Engine Oil or Hydraulic Fluid)

• Can occur during any phase of flight primarily engine start, taxi out, take-off, or descent

• Most common source has been APUs but can be any other aircraft component that uses oil (i.e. engines) or even air conditioning parts

• Over-service by MX may cause oil to contaminate breathing air

• Aircraft are machines and components age over time.

• Toxic and complex mixture of chemicals in engine oil and hydraulic fumes.

7

Engine Oil & Hydraulic Fluid

Engine oil fumes (Spirit uses Mobil Jet Oil II)

• Fumes can contain carbon monoxide gas, if the oil is heated to hot enough temperatures in the engine.

• Fumes do contain tricresyl phosphate (TCP) toxins and a very complex mixture of other chemicals.

• Breathing oil fumes can cause symptoms onboard and can also cause long-term symptoms (e.g., speech problems, poor balance) which take longer to develop and may not be obvious until a number of days after the incident.

Hydraulic fluid fumes (Spirit uses Skydrol 5)• Can also contain carbon monoxide gas

and does contain other toxins like tributyl and triphenyl phosphates (TBP, TPP).

• Breathing hydraulic fluid fumes can also cause symptoms onboard, plus long-term symptoms (e.g., chronic cough, rashes.

8

• The problem is that the air that comes from the engine compressors isn’t filtered before you breathe it!

• Sometimes engine oil or hydraulic fluid leak or spill into the hot engine compressor, and the resulting fumes contaminate your breathing air and are delivered straight to the cabin.

• Sometimes you see haze or smoke as well.

• But, usually there is “just” a bad smell, which makes it harder to be sure anything is wrong.

So, what's the problem?

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

9

• First quickly try to determine if the smell is coming from the AIR VENTS or from a CABIN ITEM.

• If fumes coming from a CABIN ITEM (like carry-on, seatback pocket, or galley issue) address directly

• If fumes are coming from vents, they could be engine exhaust or deicing (on the ground) determine if anything around the aircraft is causing this

• OR if you aren’t sure, OR anyone has symptoms severe burning sensation in throat, eyes and nose. REPORT it to the flight deck immediately. If on the ground get OFF the aircraft

• Report Always to the Captain EVEN in STEIRLE COCKPIT

What do you do if you notice unusual/unpleasant odor onboard?

Other Types of Odors

11

Jet/Diesel Fuel Exhaust

• Diesel smells exhaust from the hotel van when you stand behind it waiting for your bags.

• Generally not harmful in the limited quantities flight attendants are exposed.

• It is not usually hazardous and should not be a safety factor for flight operations because it should dissipate quickly once cabin doors are closed and air conditioning filters begin circulating cabin air, or the aircraft is airborne.

• Most commonly detected:

• On Jetway

• During Block-out

• Push-back

• Engine Start

• Taxi-out

• During Block-in

• Note that it is possible for an exposure to be significant enough to cause a safety factor, although that would be unusual.

12

Rotten Garbage Odors

• Sour/Rotten/Garbage Odors-Originate from a variety of sources

• Unpleasant

• Spoiled Food (spilled or left behind)

• Bodily Fluids (vomit)

• Can be located anywhere in the cabin

• Galley

• Cabin

• Lavatory

• If detected during:

• Takeoff/Climb-Out/Descent

• Bird Strike/Ingestion

• Smells like Undercooked/Rotten Meat

• Sudden & Sharp

• Dissipates Quickly

• Cruise

• Concealed Garbage in Cabin

• Dirty Diapers

• Sudden & Sharp

• Will remain until located

• Conduct a cabin check to determine

• Source

• Strength

• Location

Did you know? Engine oil fumes are often described as smelling “musty/moldy” or “like dirty socks”? If it smells musty or foul, be sure to try to identify the source: Air supply vents or something in the cabin? Odor can be deceiving!

13

• Our flight paths may take us either on take off or landing approach over or near open-air landfill operations.

• Toussaint L’OvertureInternational Airport

• Denver International Airport

• Tampa International Airport

• Landfill burning operations are common in underdeveloped countries

• This is also true of Farming areas, north of Denver with all the cows

• These smells can be brought into the aircraft through the APU and bleed air systems

• Odors can be:

• Sudden

• Unpleasant

• May cause Nausea or VomitingLandfills & Farm Odors

14

Wood & Campfire Odor

• Can be not be detected over 10,000’, usually not over 6000’

• Volcanic ash can be detected up to 60,000’

• Generally not offensive

• Quickly dissipates

• Smells like a campfire

• Wildland Fires

• Crop Burning

• Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Controlled Burn Operations

15

Musty & Moldy Odors

• Usually detected on take-off/climb-out

• Can be associated with steam-cleaning the engine and can be detected at the gate during rainy conditions

• Can also be associated with engine oil in the ECS(Environmental Control System).

• Described to smell like:

• Musty

• Moldy

• Mildew

• Damp Closet

• Alkaline

16

Burned Rubber Odor

• Usually occurs on landing when sourced to the aircraft tires

• Especially in High Temperatures

• Should not be Hazardous

• Not Pleasant

• Dissipates Quickly by Block-In

• May linger in the AFT

Reporting

18

• AFA is there to help you, Visit www.Spiritafa.org/support-center/

• to File a Ticket

• Do a Safety Report with the company. www.spiritairsafety.com• Login is your RA information

Reporting

19

• If you are reporting an injury as part of an Air Quality Incident related to a Fume or Chemical event please follow these steps:

• Get help if sick• If in the air, have the Flight Deck call MedLink – Do NOT take your jumpseat if not FIT to FLY

• If on the Ground, Call MedAire 480-379-1941 or request EMS

• Medical Treatment is TIME SENSTIVE

• Call the SOD, 954-756-5080

• An Employee Injury Report will need to be filed for Workers Comp

• Follow up with your Inflight Base Supervisor

• Send all discharge paperwork to Spirit when released at HRLOA@spirit.com and your Inflight Base Supervisor

• Complete a Safety Report at www.spiritairsafety.com

• Complete a ticket at www.spiritafa.org/support-center/

Air Quality Incident (AQI)

AFA and Spirit Initiatives

21

• Inflight Team Member Training

• Began April 2017 for initial classes

• December 2017 for recurrent classes

• Lanyard Card

• AFA Quick reference card

• MedAire Crew Support

• Collaborating with AFA-CWA &ALPA

Safety DepartmentInflight TrainingAFA

22

• Notify the CAPTAIN, EVEN IN STEIRLE COCKPIT, they have procedures in place to alleviate the odors.

• Notify the CAPTAIN, if your crewmembers are impaired or incapacitated

• Notify the CAPTAIN if your crew is using supplemental 02

• Notify the CAPTAIN if passengers are showing symptoms

Flight Operations

23

• Tell them that there are FUMES in the cabin that appear to be coming from the air vents.

• Confirm that you have ruled out in-cabin items

• Report what it smells like.

• Report if any smoke/haze

• Report when you first noticed the fumes (e.g., engine start, top of descent, etc.)

• Report where in the cabin most noticeable.

• Report if anybody is sick and if medical attention is needed.

• Report if any Flight Attendants are on a POB.

WHAT do you tell the pilots

24

• HEPA Carbon Filter Retrofit

• May of 2016

HEPA Filters

25

• System Teardown with Lab Test- Chronic Aircraft

• Blacklight Inspections

• Pack Burn-Out Procedures

• Focused Training

• Temp Sensor Kits for Max Air Temp

• Additional Inspection Step for C-Check

• Purchased specialized equipment for troubleshooting at multiple maintenance facilities

Technical Operations

26

• Installing APU Inlet Gutter Modification on all existing aircraft

• Prevents Ground Ingestion

• 33 of 98 aircraft retrofits completed

• 17 new aircraft delivered post modification

Technical Operations

27

• Continuing testing with PALL Aerospace for new design bleed air distribution system filter assembly

• Final ground testing system end of March 2018

• Flight Tests Summer of 2018

• STC before EOY 2018

Technical Operations

28

1. Pay attention to the presence of fumes onboard – even if there is not visible smoke or haze. Some fumes are just smelly, others can make you sick.

2. Quickly try to identify the SOURCE of the fumes. Coming from vents? Or from something in the cabin?

3. If fumes are coming from the vents. REPORT to the pilots, even during sterile cockpit because breathing fumes can create a flight safety issue. (If they don’t answer, they will call you back when they can)

4. If you have symptoms consistent with breathing carbon monoxide, take oxygen for first aid purposes. Follow your FAM for First Aid.

5. Carbon monoxide exposure can affect the decision making side of your brain. It is OK to tell a supervisor you need a moment to decide if you are ok to continue or need medical attention.

6. Call the Safety Hotline if you are feeling pressured in anyway.

7. Still feel unwell? Get medical care. Breathing these types of fumes can also cause long-term symptoms, some with a delayed onset. Download the Health Care Providers Guide from the Spirit AFA Website.

8. Document, document, document with your airline and AFA-CWA ASHS Team. ashs@spiritafa.com AFA is here to help.

So to recap: