Aviation Health Working Group minutes: 27 October 2004

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Aviation Health Working Group Meeting

27 October 2004, DfT, Great Minster House

Present

   

Chair

Ann Godfrey

DfT/CAD

Secretary

Robert Baker

DfT/CAD
 

Peter Smith

DfT/CAD
 

Abimbola Alli

DfT/CAD
 

Dr Annette Ruge

CAA/AHU
 

Tom Hamilton

CAA/SRG
 

Kath Martin

HSE
 

Dr Bill Maton-Howarth

DoH
 

Alison Tingle

DoH
 

Roger Wiltshire

BATA
 

Dr Mark Popplestone

BATA
 

Mike Carrivick

BAR UK
 

Nikki Jones

AUC
 

James Fremantle

BAR UK
 

George Blundell - Pound

Thomas Cook
 

Dr Tony Goodwin

BALPA
 

Jim McAuslan

BALPA
 

Carolyn Evans

BALPA
 

Tristan Loraine

BALPA-AETG

Item 1: Minutes of the previous inclusive meeting (10 June 2004)

  1. Following the last meeting, DfT had co-ordinated a reply to the BMA regarding their report on Flying and Passenger Health.
  2. Roger Wiltshire said that BATA were aiming to have a link from the AHU and BA health web page.

Item 2: Chair's introductory remarks

  1. The Chair welcomed the following people: Jim McAuslan, Carolyn Evans and Tristan Loraine from BALPA; Nikki Jones (TGWU), Mike Carrivick (BAR UK), who had replaced Peter North, and Dr Mark Popplestone (BATA) who had replaced Dr Nigel Dowdall.
  2. The Chair reported that the Montreal Convention had come into force on 28 June.
  3. Charlotte Atkins had replaced Tony McNulty as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State.
  4. The meeting had been mentioned in Parliamentary Questions from Paul Tyler MP and the work of the AHU had been cited recently in correspondence with David Ruffley MP and Paul Tyler MP.
  5. "Zinopin" was launched in August and claimed to prevent DVT. Dr John Scurr had been quoted in press articles. Dr Maton-Howarth had contacted Dr Scurr about the articles. The Scientific Executive Committee of the WRIGHT project had asked Dr Scurr to resign from the Committee because of conflict of interest.

Item 3: Update of the work of the Aviation Health Unit current Issues

  1. Dr Ruge said that the ECAC Manual on air passenger health issues had been favourably noted by ICAO at the 35th Assembly. Dr Ruge provided a table showing the impact of the ECAC Manual (Annex A). The main undertakings for the JAA were: medical kits and cabin crew training.
  2. Medical Kits and First Aid Training for Cabin Crew are regulated in JAR-OPS. The text of the ECAC Manual was discussed in the relevant JAA Groups to evaluate whether the current JAA requirements needed to be updated according to the ECAC Manual. The amended text would be circulated as an NPA (Notice of Proposed Amendment) for comments. JAR-OPS would be amended with the text as it would stand after NPA. The UK would implement the changes which, depending on the NPA process, may or may not be the text in the ECAC Manual. The timescale for the adoption of this was approximately one year.

Action: As a follow up to this the AHU would collect information about the current provision of medical kits and procedures of UK airlines.

  1. Dr Ruge said that the BBC Television Programme 'Should I Worry about Flying' was broadcast on 21 October and made reference to DVT. Dr Ruge felt that the programme had recognised that DVT was not only an issue about air travel.
  2. Dr Ruge was asked by BALPA whether the AHU could offer any guidance on aircraft cabin temperature when the aircraft was stationary. Dr Ruge said that there are no requirements for ventilation (and therefore none for temperatures) of the aircraft cabin while the aircraft is on the ground. The AHU was not able to offer guidance as the aim of the unit was to provide advice to passengers and aircrew.
  3. Steve James said CabinAir undertook research on cabin temperatures while in flight but not on the ground.

Item 4: Research

The use of Aspirin for DVT (DH)

  1. Alison Tingle advised that ISIS had recently undertaken research into public perceptions of DVT and the use of Aspirin. The interviewers had spoken to 1,500 people. The results should be available by the end of November, the findings would be discussed at the AHWG Research Sub-Group.

Update on WHO Wright Project

  1. Peter Smith said that the work at Leicester University was complete and that Dr Toff was preparing to publish his results. The initial findings showed that prolonged exposure to the reduced atmospheric pressure that was characteristic of aircraft cabins was not found to produce hypoxia. Studies in the Netherlands were nearing completion; initial results indicated that although air travel increases the risk of DVT, it was no worse than any other form of transport or activity, involving prolonged immobility.
  2. The MOU covering the working relationship between the research contractors and WHO had been signed. WHO would publish a report on the whole project in 2005

Action: The Department would prepare a press statement on the research when the reports are published.

Item 5: Future research issues

BALPA Presentation on cabin air quality

  1. Jim McAuslan thanked the Chair for the opportunity to raise this issue with the AHWG. He said that recent alarmist press coverage about aircraft fumes had been refuted by BALPA. He was concerned about the long term health of flight crew and cabin crew and said that BALPA had four specific requests:
  • An independent CAA / BALPA study ("Report it Campaign") to understand the scale of the problem and its medical effects on crews.
  • A protocol to be set up for dealing with crews following a contaminated air event.
  • An increased Duty of Care Initiative.
  • An independent Global Conference in association with the ITF and IFALPA.
  1. Tom Hamilton said that the CAA did not have any evidence of under reporting from aircrews and that the existing reporting arrangements appeared to be working satisfactory. He was concerned that the "Report it Campaign" might undermine the current reporting process.
  2. George Blundell-Pound and Roger Wiltshire said that they had spoken to other colleagues about the issues raised and that no one was aware of any problems.
  3. Tristan Loraine made reference to the documents sent out to the AHWG in advance of the meeting (Annex B); he said the aim of the Aircraft Environment Task Group (AETG) was to campaign on the broad agenda of flight deck environment and cabin air quality. He said BALPA members showed signs of long term health effects and that there was a need for further research on contaminated air events particularly focused on certain aircraft types known to have problems, namely the BAe 146 and Boeing 757. Tristan Loraine said BALPA were aware of research currently taking place and had sent information to ASHRAE.
  4. Tristan Loraine said that several inquiries into cabin air environment had been undertaken. They commented that the BAE study on BAe 146 aircraft included 68 test flights without recording any levels of carbon monoxide. However, they had detected carbon monoxide on a UK operated BAe 146 with peak values in flight of 14 to 22 ppm on 7 flights with 15 minute TWA figures as high as 10 ppm, whilst crew experienced symptoms such as headaches and nausea.
  5. Steve James said that the CAA had investigated the issue of cabin air and had found no evidence of carbon monoxide at levels approaching certification levels. He said that the CAA had worked with the airline industry to undertake modifications on aircraft including the BAe 146. He added that he was concerned that the CAA had not received any information from BALPA on this issue.
  6. Dr Mark Popplestone said that research was underway to see if exposure to fumes made people more vulnerable to future events. He said there was a difficulty in ascertaining the effects, if any, from exposure to low level contamination.
  7. Tristan Loraine asked whether the AHWG would be able to commission research on cabin air quality. They also announced they were intending to hold a conference on air cabin quality and asked whether the AHWG would be able to support them in this. In reply the Chair said the AHWG could not make a decision to commission research until it received advice from the AHWG Research Sub-Group and cost comparison in relation to other research demands. The Chair commented that the Royal Aeronautical Society hosted a conference last year on "Air Quality in Passenger Aircraft" and that it might be too soon to hold another similar event. The Chair also advised that the AHWG was unable to provide funding for a conference, as it was outside its remit.
  8. A general discussion followed on cabin air quality and the representatives from the airlines agreed to discuss the issue with their aircrew's.

Actions: BALPA to copy information sent to ASHRAE to the CAA.

BALPA to attend the next AHWG Research Sub-Group meeting on 9th November.

BALPA to remind its members of the CAA confidential reporting scheme.

George Blundell-Pound and Roger Wiltshire offered their help with BALPA's research into Boeing 757 contaminated air events.

Item 6: AOB

House of Lords decision on DVT litigation

  1. The Chair said that the applicants had been granted leave to appeal. The House would inform the applicants when the hearing would take place. It is anticipated that this would be early 2005.

Leg room on aircraft

  1. Peter Smith asked if the AHWG would consider the issue of discrimination against tall passengers in economy class accommodation.

Action: It was agreed to include this subject as a discussion point for the next meeting.

Roger Wiltshire, said that he would prepare a report on airlines seating practice for the next meeting.

Dates of next meetings:

-Inclusive - 11 February 2005

-Exclusive - 18 March 2005

-Inclusive - 28 April 2005

-Exclusive - 10 June 2005

-Inclusive - 4 August 2005

-Exclusive - 2 September 2005

-Inclusive - 17 November 2005

-Exclusive - 2 December 2005

CAD October 2004

Annex B

Documents forwarded by Tristan Loraine in support of the BALPA presentation:

  • Abou-Donia, M. 'Testing of Tri-ortho-Cresyl Phosphate'.
  • Abou-Donia, M.'Organophosphorus Ester-Induced Chronic Neurotoxicity', Archives of Environmental Health, Aug 2003.
  • Cox, L and Michaelis, S.  'A survey of symptoms in BAe 146 aircrew'.  Journal of Occupational Health and Safety, Aust and NZ 18: 305-312, 2002.
  • Michaelis, S, 'A Survey of health Symptoms in BALPA Boeing 757 Pilots', Journal of OH & S, Aust & NZ 19(3), 253-261 June 2003.
  • Naimushin, A, 'Airborne analyte detection with an aircraft-adapted surface plasmon resonance sensor system'.
  • Winder, C and Balouet, J, 'The Toxicity of Commercial Jet Oil', Environmental Research. Section A 89,146-164, 2002.
  • Copy of Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) 'Aircraft Air Contamination' DVD.