Nexus - 1702 - New Times Magazine-pages

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is likely to be extremely hazardous due to the _ industry starts the problem by designing a flawed concentration of chemicals, and many aircrew have — system where oil and air can mix. But who is to blame? become seriously ill from repeatedly breathing these The engine manufacturer? The airframe manufacturer? fumes—more or less as an occupational hazard. The oil industry? The seal manufacturer? The health Most people would agree that a whiff of fumes fora industry? Definitely not the airlines, although they too few minutes might not cause serious ill health, but are party to the cover-up. Many people must know of when one is repeatedly breathing fumes for many _ the dire effects from breathing oil fumes repeatedly. thousands of hours, just like smoking, one will be killed | However, breathing these fumes only seems to affect slowly. around 30 per cent of people very badly. It doesn't kill There are other almost unbelievable facts. these people, it only half kills them. Once one has accepted that toxic fumes may be a Meanwhile, authorities such as the UK Civil Aviation problem, might it not be a good idea to have toxicfume Authority (CAA) and the US Federal Aviation detectors on board an airliner, along with all the Administration (FAA) are there to protect the airlines, electronic entertainment systems which appear to be so so, despite all the overwhelming evidence, they still vital these days? consider breathing oil fumes as not causing any long- Many will be shocked to know that apart from the _ term ill health and for there to be no evidence for these smoke detectors in the toilets, there are no detectors in _ deleterious effects. the bleed-air lines. If and when toxic air gets through, it The medical system is skilled at misdiagnosing the is up to the pilots, cabin crew or passengers to smell it | symptoms of OP poisoning, which have been known for with their noses and raise a stink, and then up to the —_ around 100 years: chronic fatigue, memory problems, pilots to try to isolate the faulty muscle twitches, respiratory bleed-air line, which on a four- problems, speech difficulties engine aircraft takes time as . . and many other neurological each engine supplies bleed air. The medical system IS problems associated with What about protection from skilled at misdiagnosing damage to the central nervous he fumes? Well, worry not, system. Frequent misdiagnoses because the pilots and cabin the symptoms of OP are of chronic "stress", a "virus" crew have oxygen masks which oisoning, which have or just "not known", and hey must put on, although it is > incorrect treatments using incredible how. many pilots been known for around antidepressants and antibiotics prefer to breathe the fumes, 100 years... just go to complete the circle o otally ignorant of their toxic deceit and keep the medica properties. | did it for 16 years. industry's wheels turning around But what about the and around. passengers? Surely they have their own drop-down Pilots and cabin crew are in a particular "no win" oxygen supply (with the thoughtful addition of extra situation. They are often lured into a glamorous, masks)? Actually, this system is only for use in an _ globetrotting job which has its attractions of respect and emergency descent when the pressurisation suddenly _ skill, but soon most crew often find the reality somewha ails and the airliner must be descended rapidly to different. Many aircrew start flying and do a few years 10,000 feet. before retiring...exhausted. This is the deal; and once they In any case, this oxygen is mixed with contaminated __ leave their jobs, their health is deliberately never followed ambient air and only lasts for 20 minutes. This leaves up, which perpetuates the scam. he passengers without any protection at all from As aircrew, they usually have above-average fitness on exposure to toxic fume events. Simple activated-carbon __ starting flying but they quickly become like "zombies", ace masks offer some protection. “vegetables” or "permanently intoxicated". The effect of toxic fumes on a pregnant woman and The pattern is that they continue for as long as er growing foetus can only be imagined. The fumes _ possible, usually unknowingly, going "part-time" to try ave been recorded as doing permanent damage to to limit the exposure before "failing safe" and being led many unlucky people; yet, as fume events are still seen up the garden path by a medical system which as "non-events" by regulators and airlines, most people _—_ deliberately goes out of its way to test their blood— will be affected but never know it. usually with the result that, if it’s red, it's okay! If more complex tests were done, not only on the blood but also Breathtaking silence on health effects on the fat reserves (where the toxins are stored), these So why is aerotoxic syndrome not accepted? It would show a cocktail of toxic chemicals. shouldn't be too surprising to know that industry has a It shouldn't take too much ingenuity to prove LAhit AF wading tannthae An anetain inneinn and Lavine The medical system is skilled at misdiagnosing the symptoms of OP poisoning, which have been known for around 100 years... Breathtaking silence on health effects So why is aerotoxic syndrome not accepted? It shouldn't be too surprising to know that industry has a habit of working together on certain issues and having vested interests. It could be argued that the aircraft 20 * NEXUS Continued on page 79 FEBRUARY - MARCH 2010 www.nexusmagazine.com