The Airliner Cabin Environment and the Health of Passengers and Crew (2002) / Chapter Skim
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8 Surveillance and Research Programs on Cabin Air Quality
8 Surveillance and Research Programs on Cabin Air Quality
Pages 276-290
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From page 276... ...
that might lead to deterioration of cabin air quality by introduction of air contaminants, such as pyrolysis products of engine oil? Studies have been published that report detailed monitoring of several aspects of aircraft air quality.
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From page 277... ...
To address the important unresolved questions regarding aircraft cabin air quality and its possible effects on occupant health, the committee recommends two complementary approaches: a surveillance program and a research program. The primary goals ofthe surveillance program are to determine aircraft compliance with FAA cabin air-quality regulations, to characterize air-quality characteristics and establish temporal trends in them, and to estimate the frequency of nonroutine incidents in which air quality is senously degraded.
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From page 278... ...
, cabin pressure, temperature, and relative humidity. An adequate surveillance program must be extensive and sample a large number of flight segments over a relatively short period.
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From page 279... ...
However sophisticated the sampling scheme, the validity ofthe data will ultimately depend on the thoroughness svith which the final-stage sampling units complete the requisite forms (cabin crew for routine conditions, and cabin crew, cockpit crew, and passengers for incident conditions)
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From page 280... ...
Under Incident Conditions Would supplement routine health surveillance monitoring. Ad hoc sampling survey for suspected .
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From page 281... ...
an effective solution to the problem of passenger and crew complaints of cabin air quality and its possible association with health effects. As noted above, airquality monitoring remains an essential approach and must be coordinated with the health surveillance system to address the questions regarding possible links between air quality and health effects.
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From page 282... ...
Cabin Pressure and Oxygen Partial Pressure The committee identified several critical unanswered questions regarding cabin pressure: Is a maximal cabin pressure altitude of 2,440 m (8,000 ft) appropriate for avoiding hypoxia?
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From page 283... ...
A complex approach to monitoring may be required to evaluate these questions and may include careful evaluation of maintenance records to identify aircraft in which fluid is lost or aircraft components that require frequent service of fluid seals and cabin air monitoring to detect airborne products of leakage, such as fine PM and CO. Fine PM could indicate a leak in which aerosols are produced, and CO could indicate a leak in which incomplete combustion of fluids occurs at high temperatures.
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From page 284... ...
Linicing the results of such an investigation to the health surveillance program might make it possible to evaluate the reported association between cabin air quality and health problems. · Investigate the need for additional air-contamirzant control devices.
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From page 285... ...
Although the implementation of a health surveillance system for routine conditions of flightis relatively straightforward, some unique complexities exist for the evaluation of incidents. Given the concerns of cabin crew, the most important need would tee to develop a standard procedure for followup of cabin crew who have worked on a flight on which an incident has been reported.
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From page 286... ...
Fine Particulate Matter Although fine PM is not a major focus of the research program, the committee identified several questions related to fine PM: What is the role of fine PM in inducing complaints and health effects in cabin occupants? What are the probable sources of the fine PM?
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From page 287... ...
Another advantage ofthe committee's recommended surveillance program is that continuous monitoring data could provide justification for cockpit and cabin crew to try to minimize excessive exposures in flight. For example, if CO2 were found to be high in the cabin, the pilot could increase the ventilation rate.
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From page 288... ...
· In addition to the lack of exposure information, a major difficulty in the evaluation ofthe potential effects of cabin air quality on the health of passengers and cabin crew is the lack of standardized health surveillance systems for obtaining health-related data during normal and nonroutine operating conditions.
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From page 289... ...
Relevant subjects include factors that affect O3 concentrations in cabin air, the need to lower cabin pressure altitude to prevent hypoxia in susceptible cabin occupants, the adequacy ofoutside-air ventilation flow rates, the severity of events in which contaminants enter bleed air from oil-seal leaks or other equipment malfunctions, the potential for pesticide exposure due to current disinsectionpractices, the contribution of low relative humidity to the perception of dryness, and the role of fine PM in generating health complaints. · Health surveillance should tee integratedinto the airmonitoringprograms.
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From page 290... ...
2001. Determine Aircraft Supply Air Contaminants in the Engine Bleed Air Supply System on Commercial Aircraft.
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