Qantas Cabin Crew Sue Over Insecticide

[Trader]

http://news.sky.com/story/1179762/air-steward-sues-qantas-over-insect-spray

[conehead]

Interesting. I know that at Air Canada, a Flight Attendant would never spray insecticide in the cabin. They would record a snag in the defect log, and Maintenance would take action. In YYZ, we would call in a contractor who is licenced and certified in pest control. This individual will " apply" the agent to deal with the pests in the cabin. The cabin is then sealed for a period of time specified by the contractor. No one goes in the cabin during this time.

I was surprised to read in the above story that the Qantas F/A would routinely spray an insecticide in the cabin every two weeks.

Any F/A's on this forum have any input here?

[Trader]

The issue is that ALL inbound flights into Australia must spray the cabin. I know our FA's spray 6 or 8 cans prior to boarding. The authorities in OZ want to see the cans as proof on arrival. I believe quite a few countries do this. But as flight deck I don't have all the details--I just close the cockpit door for it

[conehead]

I find that shocking, and a very unsafe practice. Keep that flightdeck door closed!

[conehead]

Do the Air Canada flights into Sydney comply with this practice?

[Kip Powick]

We had to do the same thing in DND...but some did it a different way

In many cases the LM, (Loadmaster) would spray around the entrance door frame and when the inspector came onboard he would smell the odor and "assume" that the entire aircraft had been sprayed.

[SkyBlazer]

This has been going on for years...

I recall Canadian and CP doing the same thing. As a kid I travelled back and forth to Australia at least 6 times a year.

As the aircraft bridged before doors were disarmed the cabin was fumigated for pest prior to opening the door. ALl the pax just sat there and covered their heads with jackets etc.

It seemed just part of the gig going to Australia.

The stuff wont kill ya - and certainly no worse than the cigarettes or second hand smoke people had been inhaling onboard over the 13hrs.

SB

[conehead]

The stuff wont kill ya....

SB

Not so sure about that...

[Mitch Cronin]

disinsectation

?? I think you made that word up?

[boestar]

http://www.daff.gov.au/biosecurity/avm/aircraft/disinsection/procedures

[CD]

Closer to home, here are the requirements relating to Canadian air operators:

Advisory Circular LTA-002 - Disinsection On Board Aircraft

Disinsection Procedures On Board Aircraft - Large Air Operators

[Kip Powick]

No, wished I did though and then I could charge royalties. It is in common usage for example:

Bodies of executive power, bodies of local self-government, enterprises, institutions and organizations shall ensure the timely conduct of mass prophylactic vaccinations, disinfection, disinsectation, deratization, and other needed sanitary and anti-epidemic measures.

I believe the word disinsectation is a typo, and should read disinsection..... (Aircraft disinsection is the use of insecticide on international flights for insect and disease).................deratization is the removal of rats

Can't find the word disinsectation in any dictionary

[conehead]

.......deratization is the removal of rats

....via a size 10 boot.

[conehead]

Closer to home, here are the requirements relating to Canadian air operators:

Advisory Circular LTA-002 - Disinsection On Board Aircraft

Disinsection Procedures On Board Aircraft - Large Air Operators

Thanks for that, CD. I find that very interesting... I would have thought that many people would complain about this procedure. I guess not.

[cp fa]

Interesting. I know that at Air Canada, a Flight Attendant would never spray insecticide in the cabin. They would record a snag in the defect log, and Maintenance would take action. In YYZ, we would call in a contractor who is licenced and certified in pest control. This individual will " apply" the agent to deal with the pests in the cabin. The cabin is then sealed for a period of time specified by the contractor. No one goes in the cabin during this time.

I was surprised to read in the above story that the Qantas F/A would routinely spray an insecticide in the cabin every two weeks.

Any F/A's on this forum have any input here?

I know that it is still a requirement at some destinations, Havana being one of them. Back in the day, we used to have to spray two cans in the 737 before landing in Mexico, and the authorities would be there to receive the empty cans when we arrived. Apparently, the company would be fined if we didn't comply. We used to open the lav doors a few inches, and discharge the contents of the cans just before landing.

I always thought it was ludicrous, with the number of people that used to get sick in Mexico, that they were worried about us importing insects from Canada, especially when it was -30 back home.

[mo32a]

^^Why wouldn't you just carry a couple of empty cans with you?

[cp fa]

^^Why wouldn't you just carry a couple of empty cans with you?

The empty cans were taken by the authorities who met the flight, it's not something you could just buy at a store, and who wants to carry empty pesticide cans around with them, especially when you have to bring them through customs with you when you get back home?

[Jaydee]

Thousands upon thousands of those cans are routinely sprayed down toilets upon arrival.

This requirement to spray is just another example of stupidity gone amuck.

[boestar]

Tell that to places like the souoth eastern United states that are being overrun by a non-native species of plant life. The vine, whose name excapes me at the moment, that is becoming a severe problem in the south east is capable of growing several inches a day and has no natural "predators" to keep it at bay. it is wiping out other species of plant and tree life.

This plant was "imported" from Asia and is causing a huge problem

This is what Australia and other countries are trying to prevent only with insects and other biological contaminants. There is nothing wrong with them attempting to maintain a delicate ecosystem. this has worked well for them over the years.

[inchman]

This practice has been going on to many of the Caribbean islands forever. It goes without saying that one of the problems with our industry is that, because of the speed we travel, we can transport insects well within their life spans that can destroy entire economies. Ships, moving much more slowly than us, have imported the Asian Long-horned beetle to Canada. So, I can understand why some countries that are dependent on agriculture for their meagre economies might be concerned with imported pests.

There are about 50 countries where disinsection is required. http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/standards/commerce-ohs-disinsection-menu-375.htm.

It drives me crazy when people say stuff like: "Imagine spraying household insecticides in a small room each day, then spending the day working in that room," said TWU secretary Tony Sheldon. It's not household insecticide, it's not a small room, flight attendants don't work and/or spray every day and the insecticide is evacuated from the aircraft within minutes. So what kind of argument is he left with? If you're going to say something to the press, at least have a solid argument.

Yes, there are some people who have sprayed these chemicals that have gotten sick, but there are lots of people who have not used these chemicals who have exactly the same illnesses and lots of people who have used these chemicals regularly who have not gotten sick.

Every job has its dangers from the commute, to stress, to office air quality, to physical risks of the job. I'm not saying that we shouldn't make all jobs as safe as possible, but this is a reality of the job and not a proven health hazard. If you think high steel construction is not safe for you, don't apply to build the Empire State Building. If people feel that spraying is not safe for them, they should find another job or go to destinations that do not require spraying.

By the same token, I have no problem with people trying to change an outdated or unnecessary practice that could be hazardous. But at least have decent arguments and apply the appropriate amount of effort to the risk. There's probably more danger to health in lying on the beach in the sun at these destinations than there is from the insecticide, but I don't see any unions suggesting that sunshine destination layovers be discontinued.

[DEFCON]

Is there any evidence of efficacy supporting the spray can approach to de-bugging aircraft?

[props2you]

Tell that to places like the souoth eastern United states that are being overrun by a non-native species of plant life. The vine, whose name excapes me at the moment, that is becoming a severe problem in the south east is capable of growing several inches a day and has no natural "predators" to keep it at bay. it is wiping out other species of plant and tree life.

This plant was "imported" from Asia and is causing a huge problem

This is what Australia and other countries are trying to prevent only with insects and other biological contaminants. There is nothing wrong with them attempting to maintain a delicate ecosystem. this has worked well for them over the years.

Agriculture is worth far more in Canada and teh USA yet neither subject pax and crew to this ridiculous practice. The evegatation example you give (kudzu, I believe) is something totally different than believing a swarm of any insect is going to stowaway on a flight down under. Look at Hawai'i, a far more vulnerable space to such a thign and they don't gas you as part of the welcome.

[moeman]

We are boarded by the AQIS agent and given the cans of spray. We then close the cabin door, open the flight deck door, and proceed to spray the aircraft from aft forward, spraying towards the overhead bins and must spray each lav, galley and crew bunk areas. They sometimes use UV lights to check the cabin to ensure we didn't just dump them down the toilets. We have to wait 3-5 minutes for the spray to settle before we can open the cabin door and deplane.