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- Title
Pesticide illness among flight attendants due to aircraft disinsectionInstitution where the work was performed: California Department of Health, Services, Occupational Health Branch, 850 Marina Bay Parkway, Building P, 3rd Floor, Richmond, CA 94804 (510) 620‐5757 Fax (510) 620‐5743.
- Authors
Patrice M. Sutton; Ximena Vergara; John Beckman; Mark Nicas; Rupali Das
- Abstract
Aircraft “disinsection” is the application of pesticides inside an aircraft to kill insects that may be on board. Over a 1‐year period, California's tracking system received 17 reports of illness involving flight attendants exposed to pesticides following disinsection.Interviews, work process observations, and a records review were conducted. Illness reports were evaluated according to the case definition established by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.Twelve cases met the definition for work‐related pesticide illness. Eleven cases were attributed to the “Residual” method of disinsection, i.e., application of a solution of permethrin (2.2% w/w), solvents (0.8%), and a surfactant (1.4%); the method of disinsection could not be determined for one case.The aerosol application of a pesticide in the confined space of an aircraft cabin poses a hazard to flight attendants. Nontoxic alternative methods, such as air curtains, should be used to minimize disease vector importation via aircraft cabins. Employers should mitigate flight attendant pesticide exposure in the interim. Am. J. Ind. Med. 50:345–356, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
- Subjects
UNITED States; FLIGHT attendants; FUSELAGE (Airplanes); POISONS
- Publication
American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 2007, Vol 50, Issue 5, p345
- ISSN
0271-3586
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/ajim.20452