A FA ON A B747; EXPERIENCED ILLNESS AFTER ACFT WAS SPRAYED WITH A PESTICIDE.

Date: 2001-04 · Aircraft: B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model · Phase: approach

Anomalies: flight-deck-cabin-aircraft-event-other-unknown|other-pesticide-sprayed-through-out-acft-cabin

Synopsis

A FA ON A B747; EXPERIENCED ILLNESS AFTER ACFT WAS SPRAYED WITH A PESTICIDE.

Narrative

THE CAPT ANNOUNCES THE CABIN WOULD BE SPRAYED WITH A PESTICIDE AND THE PASSENGERS AND NEW MEMBERS WOULD BE PROVIDED WET CLOTHS TO COVER THEIR FACES WITH. THE CABIN WAS SPRAYED BY CREW MEMBERS. I WAS NERVOUS. I DIDN'T SPRAY ANY ONE. I WENT INTO THE LAV AND COULD SMELL THE SPRAY. JUST PRIOR TO LEAVING ZZZ ON 5/01; I AWOKE AT XA:00 WITH A RUNNY NOSE AND MY THROAT WAS SORE AND HURTING. AFTER SERVING THE PAX THEIR FIRST MEAL. I THEN WENT TO THE COCKPIT. I FELT IF I COULD BREATH SOME OF THEIR AIR I WOULD BE FEELING BETTER. I REMEMBER A DOCTOR APCHING ME AND I SAT DOWN. MY MEMORY IS NOT GOOD. I MUST HAVE PASSED OUT THE PARAMEDICS CUT MY DRESS OFF ME MY CHEST WAS HURTING. I WOKE UP IN THE HOSPITAL. THE NURSE TOLD ME; THE MEDICS THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO LOSE ME; BUT I DON'T REMEMBER THE DRIVE IN THE AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED; NORMALLY THE ACFT IS TREATED WITH THE PESTICIDE WHILE IN A HANGAR; WITH PLENTY OF VENTILATION; 2 TO 3 HRS PRIOR TO BEING FLOWN. HOWEVER; PRIOR TO THIS PARTICULAR FLT SPIDERS AND ROACHES WERE DISCOVERED ON BOARD THE ACFT; WITH NO TIME TO SPRAY BEFORE DEPARTURE. INSTEAD; THE PESTICIDE WAS SPRAYED THROUGHOUT THE ACFT; BY THE FLT ATTENDANTS; USING AEROSOL SPRAY CANS; APPROX ONE HR PRIOR TO LNDG; EXPOSING NOT ONLY THEMSELVES TO THE PESTICIDE BUT THE PASSENGERS AS WELL. AT COMPLETION; A LOGBOOK ENTRY WAS MADE TO VALIDATE THE SPRAYING. THE RPTR ALSO STATED; ALTHOUGH THIS WAS HER FIRST FLT IN WHICH THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN THE PESTICIDE SPRAYING; SHE HAS FLOWN ON ACFT IN THE PAST THAT WERE PESTICIDE TREATED; CITING A FLT IN 1998; WHEN SHE SUFFERED SYMPTOMS SIMILAR TO A VIRAL INFECTION. STATING HER EXPERIENCES ARE NOT UNIQUE; SHE RPTS OTHER FLIGHT ATTENDANTS HAVE ALSO HAD ADVERSE REACTIONS AS WELL; RANGING FROM SORE THROATS; RUNNY NOSES; AND NAUSEA TO NOSE BLEEDS. CONCERNING THE OBVIOUS PRECAUTIONS THAT NEED TO BE OBSERVED WHEN USING THESE PESTICIDES; THE RPTR EMPHASIZED THAT HER EMPLOYER DID NOT PROVIDE TRAINING OF ANY KIND REGARDING THE SAFETY HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PESTICIDES USED.

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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.