- Symptoms of smoke inhalation include dizziness and poor short-term memory
Airlines have been urged to do more to protect passengers and crew from toxic cabin fumes.
Holidaymakers are exposed to air contaminated by motor oils or hydraulic fluids, the International Smoke Events Task Force has warned.
Symptoms include dizziness, short-term memory impairment, short-term fatigue and headache, short-term breathing difficulties, and long-term uncontrollable coughing.
The task force has developed a “protocol” for responding to suspicious incidents to help determine if medical attention is needed and collect data.
Smoke events occur when the ventilation air supplied to the cabin and flight deck is drawn directly from the engine compressors, which occurs in most passenger aircraft.
This engine “bleed air” is then vented, unfiltered, to the aircraft’s occupants.
“Smoke events” occur when there is sufficient amount of engine oil or hydraulic fluid breakdown products for the crew or passengers to recognize.
Crews and passengers often describe a “dirty sock” type of smell, which is the smell of one of the base stock chemicals in the oils.
Former pilot and aviation health researcher Dr Susan Michaelis, who leads the task force, said: “This has been going on for the last 70 years, and the reports from aircrew that are bad they keep increasing.
“Currently, when flight crew or passengers become unwell, whether they are still on the plane, develop symptoms in the days or weeks that follow, or report illness in the years that follow, there is nothing medical books, there is no guidance material for the aviation industry or medical professionals and very often they are rejected or given minimal testing.
“This new medical protocol has been written by internationally recognized experts and presents a consensus approach to the recognition, investigation and management of people suffering from the toxic effects of inhalation of thermally degraded motor oil and other contaminating fluids aircraft air conditioning systems, and includes actions and investigations for in-flight, immediate post-flight and late post-monitoring.
“All the data and evidence collected strongly suggests a causal connection between oil and hydraulic fluid contaminants and people getting sick.
“This is the first comprehensive and systematic approach to document and collect more epidemiological data on what is a discrete and emerging occupational health syndrome.”
The protocol and academic research review were published in the journal Environmental Health.
