The Aerotoxic Association calls for the resignation of the chair of the Aviation Health Working Group (AHWG) after receiving a fax clearly showing corporate collusion between her and a representative from a major UK airline.

PRESS RELEASE


www.aerotoxic.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Call for Resignation of Chair of the AHWG

The Aerotoxic Association is calling for Ms Sandra Webber, chair of the Aviation Health Working Group (AHWG) to resign her positions.

The attached document (note 1) is a leaked communication from April 2008 between Dr Nigel Dowdall, Head Doctor at British Airways Health Services (BAHS) and Ms Sandra Webber, chair of the Aviation Health Working Group (AHWG), who also works as head of the Civil Aviation Division at the Department of Transport (DfT). It clearly shows corporate collusion which resulted in an industry-biased “FAQ” briefing sheet on the DfT website.

This collusion with an airline that has a history of pilots and cabin crew being ill health retired as a consequence of contaminated air exposure is not acceptable. In 2006 the University College London also estimated that over 196,000 passengers a year could potentially present to general physicians with symptoms of acute toxicity.

Ms Webber should consequently resign her position as chair of the AHWG and as head of the Civil Aviation Division with immediate effect.

Despite the AHWG remit (note 2) Ms Sandra Webber has

• demonstrated an industry bias as clearly shown in the attached document
• negligently failed to ensure the travelling public are informed when exposures to contaminated air on aircraft occur
• prevented the UK pilot union, the Independent Pilots' Association (IPA) from being present at any AHWG meeting
• failed to inform ministers of significant developments that affect the health of those travelling by air (note 3)
• failed to ensure that risk assessments are carried out by UK airlines
• failed to ensure that COSHH regulations are enforced in UK-registered aircraft

Captain John Hoyte, chairman of the Aerotoxic Association stated:

“The travelling public deserve to have committee chairs who are not open to manipulation by large corporations who are not putting travelling public’s health and safety as a top priority as they claim”

“The AHWG is turning a blind eye to the fact no UK airline has carried out a risk assessment in relation to contaminated air exposure, and is failing to ensure the COSHH regulations are enforced.”

“How can a committee consider ‘issues relevant to aviation health’ if it doesn’t even allow one of the main pilot unions to be present, and has no representation from the travelling public?”

END

Notes to editors:

1.

Fax from Dr Nigel Dowdall to Sandra Webber

2.

AHWG Remit:

The Aviation Health Working Group will meet on a regular basis and will work in partnership with other interested parties to give effect to the Government response to the House of Lords Inquiry into Air Travel and Health. Particular responsibilities identified in the response are to:

• Provide a forum for interested Government departments and agencies to consider issues relevant to aviation health;
• Provide an interface with the air transport industry, health experts and other interested parties on aviation health issues of mutual interest;
• Evaluate the need for research into issues related to air travel and health, and consider the role of Government in supporting such research;
• Ensure Ministers are kept informed and receive comprehensive advice on aviation health matters;
• Monitor developments that impinge on the health of those travelling by air.

(AHWG Mission Statement 2001)

3.

At the meeting of the AHWG on 21 September 2009, Ms Nikki Jones of the union Unite informed the AHWG that an oil manufacturer had recently changed its Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for its TURBONYCOIL 600 synthetic jet engine oil product. The new MSDS contains new comments highlighting that exposure to jet engine oils poses a risk to the unborn and to fertility whilst also stating that exposure to heated oil products should only be allowed to occur if an individual is wearing full respiratory equipment. This information has not been passed on to elected members of parliament.

4.

What is Aerotoxic Syndrome?

Aerotoxic Syndrome is the name given to the illness caused by the long-term effects of breathing contaminated cabin air in an aircraft. The term was introduced on 20th October 1999 by Dr Harry Hoffman, Professor Chris Winder and Jean Christophe Balouet, Ph.D.

5.

Why does the cabin air get contaminated?

In order to have a comfortable environment and sufficient air pressure in the cabin to breathe at the altitudes at which airliners typically fly, a supply of warm compressed air is required. This is supplied direct from the engines and is known as "bleed air". It is mixed inside the aircraft with recirculated cabin air at a ratio of about 50/50. Although some of the air is recirculated, all of it originates in the engines. Bleed air comes from the compressor section of the engine which has many moving parts which have to be lubricated. There are various engine seals in place which are designed to keep the lubricating oil and air separate. Due to the design of these seals "wet seals", they cannot be 100% effective, and will let a certain amount of oil into the air. They are also subject to wear, and like any mechanical component, they may fail. If a large amount of oil mixes with the very hot compressed air, the result will be fumes or smoke entering the cabin. This is known as a “fume event”. There are no filters in the cabin air supply to stop this happening.

6.

The Aerotoxic Association

The Aerotoxic Association was set up on 18 June 2007 by Capt John Hoyte, a former training captain for a UK airline. Its aims are to help possible sufferers of Aerotoxic Syndrome to recognise their illness, to offer them support, as well as to lobby the industry for regulatory change. Capt Hoyte says, “I had Alzheimer-type symptoms of memory loss, crippling fatigue and speech difficulties for 16 years whilst flying the BAe 146 and only found out about Aerotoxic syndrome and other victims by chance. Now science is proving the exact cause. The worrying part is that passengers breathe exactly the same air as the aircrew and continue to be misdiagnosed and mistreated for virus and depression after a ‘fume event’ flight”.

Aerotoxic Association website http://www.aerotoxic.org