Thanks to Charlie Bass for his guidance, knowledge and input for this article.
‘Dealing with poor air quality in all its forms is a priority for the U.K. Government.’
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-air-pollution/health-matters-air-pollution
The information above is generally discussing outdoor pollution but imagine being exposed to harmful toxins whilst trapped inside an aircraft with no protection. This is happening on a regular basis onboard aircraft. The U.K. Government state ‘in all its forms’ which SHOULD also apply to the aircraft cockpit and passenger cabin because the same principle applies - fine particulate matter is harming people onboard aircraft.
Is any other industry in the U.K. permitted to routinely and knowingly expose its workers and customers to toxic contaminated air - with no sensors to detect and warn of the presence of harmful chemicals?
Onboard aircraft, Pilots have access to emergency oxygen and Cabin Crew have access to Smoke Hoods which also provide emergency oxygen for up to 20 minutes. There is no protection for passengers as the emergency drop down masks cannot be used when fumes are present as the toxins will also contaminate the drop down (emergency) supply.
Carbon Monoxide is also known to be in the cocktail of contaminants onboard aircraft. It is known as ‘the silent killer’ yet there are no detectors onboard aircraft for this either.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/carbon-monoxide-poisoning-sends-4-000-people-to-a-e-each-year
Quote from the CAA (Airline Regulator) website:
‘From what is currently known about the concentrations of potentially toxic chemicals in contaminated air, long-term toxic effects would not be expected, but this remains an area of scientific uncertainty’.
https://www.caa.co.uk/Passengers/Before-you-fly/Am-I-fit-to-fly/Guidance-for-health-professionals/Aircraft-Fume-Events/
Why has the ‘The Precautionary Principle’ (HSE) not been applied to the Airline Industry to protect the health of passengers and crew while ‘this remains an area of scientific uncertainty’?
http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/meetings/committees/ilgra/pppa.htm
Where are the risk assessments for Airline Crew regarding contaminated air in aircraft?
THERE ARE NONE. Airline staff have been asking their employers for years and to date none have been received.
As for the ‘area of scientific uncertainty’ - the scientists are catching up with the amount of harm being caused and the proof will soon be available (this also applies to heated fuel, oil, hydraulic fluids etc. in aircraft):
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2019/may/17/air-pollution-may-be-damaging-every-organ-and-cell-in-the-body-finds-global-review?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=postfity&utm_content=postfitycd583
For Airlines, Regulators and Governments to continue to state that the amounts of toxins in aircraft cabin air are safe is totally irresponsible. SAFE FOR WHO?, because science is now proving that some people are more at risk than others due to their genetic make-up and that children, the unborn, the elderly and those already suffering with illness are more at risk from exposure. Constant/repeated exposure (for crew and frequent flyers) can lead to very serious illness.
And that is just during ‘normal everyday operation’ of aircraft.
The chemicals found onboard aircraft during various studies are wide and varied with many being recognised as highly toxic. These include Benzene (a known carcinogen) and organophosphates. Tri-ortho cresyl phosphate (TOCP) is an organophosphate - The World Health Organisation stated in 1990 - ‘Because of considerable variations among individuals in sensitivity to TOCP, it is not possible to establish a safe level of exposure. TOCP are therefore considered major hazards to human health”
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tricresyl_phosphate
Tri-cresyl phosphate (TCP)
https://echa.europa.eu/substance-information/-/substanceinfo/100.014.136
H370 - Causes damage to organs*
H361 - Suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child*
https://echa.europa.eu/information-on-chemicals/cl-inventory-database/-/discli/details/72582
Tri-butyl phosphate (TBP)
https://echa.europa.eu/substance-information/-/substanceinfo/100.004.365
H351 - Suspected of causing cancer*
https://echa.europa.eu/information-on-chemicals/cl-inventory-database/-/discli/details/17424
*Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/benzene.html
And these are only a few of the known chemicals in aircraft oil. There are far too many to list.
People are at risk of exposure to harmful chemicals every time they step onboard an aircraft. The risk is proven.
Science tells us that the chemicals people are exposed to onboard aircraft are hazardous to human health and that individual make-up/genetics play an important role.
Also that constant exposure to low-level contamination is harmful to health.
........And the U.K. Government just sits back and allows innocent people to be poisoned.
The U.K. Government can produce great facts and figures on pollution (contaminated air), but have no authority over the industries causing the injuries and certainly no authority over the self-regulating Airline Industry.