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many pilots and flight attendants were advised by their employers that there was no health hazard from the fumes. Some flight crew suggested that they only became aware of the potential hazards as a result of publicity associated with the Senate inquiry and overseas fume contamination incidents;
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the incident posed no immediate threat to safe operations;
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the incident involved physical effects which, while apparent, were short-term and recovery was quick and complete; or
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the incident involved physical effects which affected a minority of crew.
Performance of modifications
6.19 The Committee accepts that Australian airline operators currently operating the BAe 146 have completed extensive modifications to the aircraft, in cooperation with the manufacturer, to reduce the current cabin air problem. Their modifications have reduced the reporting of fume events.
6.20 The Committee observes that there remain some passenger carrying aircraft that have not been modified which continue to suffer fume contamination as well as evidence that fume events do continue on some BAe 146 aircraft, including modified aircraft.
6.21 It is clear to the Committee that while modifications are effective in improving systems to recirculating air in the aircraft cabin, they do not eliminate the incidence of fume exposure.
Current Australian approach to assessment of aircraft air quality
Exposure to aircraft cabin air
6.22 Exposure of air crew and, potentially, passengers to cabin air which may be contaminated, or even minutely affected, by fumes originating in an aircraft's engines raises the potential of occupational illness and, for certain individuals, an incapacity to continue work.
6.23 The air quality factors which principally concern the Committee in this inquiry are possible short and medium term effect on aircrew, pilots and attendants, of exposure to chemicals originating in an aircraft’s engines and passed into the aircraft through its air conditioning systems.
6.24 The Committee notes that opinion on the hazardous nature of exposure to oil fumes is divided almost exactly between affected flight crew and their medical advisers on the one hand, and the airline industry and CASA on the other. It is clear that exposure to chemicals can have long-term deleterious affects. In the past scientists have concluded that threshold values of exposure to a number of substances in the workplace environment were not harmful. These theories are now shown to be incorrect. Long-term exposure to a number of substances has been shown to be harmful.
6.25 The aircraft’s manufacturer, British Aerospace/BAe Systems, acknowledges that there is a health issue associated with the fumes.4 While the weight of evidence to the inquiry suggests that a number of flight crew have suffered from toxicity, the Committee cannot readily accept assurances that there is no hazard associated with exposure to oil fumes in aircraft cabin air.
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