FAA · Safety Alerts for Operators (SAFO)
SAFO 18003: Procedures for Addressing Odors, Smoke and/or Fumes in Flight
In Brief
What It Addresses
This SAFO serves to identify a need to enhance flight crew procedures that mitigate the risk to passengers and crew in the event of odors, smoke and/or fumes.
Why It Matters
Inflight odor, smoke and/or fume events can occur without overt visual and/or olfactory cues. To mitigate adverse health consequences to passengers and crew, prompt and decisive action is critical.
Recommended Action
Operators, under their existing Safety Management System structure, should review their company’s odor, smoke and/or fumes procedures to ensure they address benign odor events as well as toxic odor, smoke and/or fumes, in an expeditious manner to limit exposure of passengers and crew. Operators should: • Review International Civil Aviation Organization Document 9481 (2017-2018 Edition), titled Emergency Response Guidance for Aircraft Incidents Involving Dangerous Goods, which recommends emergency responses to fire, explosion, spillage, or leakage, specific for over 3500 dangerous goods; • Assess current policy and procedures regarding odor, smoke and/or fumes recognition, differentiation and mitigation; • Collaborate with original equipment manufacturers, other operators and regulators to continuously enhance mitigation procedures and to identify potential risks; and • Create guidance for crews including, when appropriate, security information which can be disseminated through appropriate internal channels (e.g.
From the Document: selected source passages, quoted as written, for a quick overview.
Distributed by: AFS-200 OPR: AFS-220
http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/safo A SAFO contains important safety information and may include recommended action. SAFO content should be especially valuable to air carriers in meeting their statutory duty to provide service with the highest possible degree of safety in the public interest. Besides the specific action recommended in a SAFO, an alternative action may be as effective in addressing the safety issue named in the SAFO.
Subject: Procedures for Addressing Odors, Smoke and/or Fumes in Flight
Purpose: This SAFO serves to identify a need to enhance flight crew procedures that mitigate the risk to passengers and crew in the event of odors, smoke and/or fumes.
Background: Inflight odor, smoke and/or fume events can occur without overt visual and/or olfactory cues. To mitigate adverse health consequences to passengers and crew, prompt and decisive action is critical.
Discussion: Air carriers should ensure their procedures and checklists specifically address recognition, differentiation and mitigation of odors, smoke and/or fumes in the cabin and/or flight deck. Odors, smoke and/or fumes may be introduced to the cabin atmosphere as a result of aircraft equipment malfunction/failure or by inadvertent or intentional actions. While the presence of an odor alone does not necessarily require crew action or medical response, events involving odor, smoke and/or fumes require targeted and timely action to protect aircraft occupants.
Recommended Action: Operators, under their existing Safety Management System structure, should review their company’s odor, smoke and/or fumes procedures to ensure they address benign odor events as well as toxic odor, smoke and/or fumes, in an expeditious manner to limit exposure of passengers and crew. Operators should:
Review International Civil Aviation Organization Document 9481 (2017-2018 Edition), titled Emergency Response Guidance for Aircraft Incidents Involving Dangerous Goods, which recommends emergency responses to fire, explosion, spillage, or leakage, specific for over 3500 dangerous goods;
Assess current policy and procedures regarding odor, smoke and/or fumes recognition, differentiation and mitigation;
Collaborate with original equipment manufacturers, other operators and regulators to continuously enhance mitigation procedures and to identify potential risks; and
Create guidance for crews including, when appropriate, security information which can be disseminated through appropriate internal channels (e.g. Sensitive Security Information bulletins, manuals, etc.) as specific concerns are identified.
Contact: Questions and/or comments regarding this SAFO should be directed to the Air Transportation Division’s Part 121 Air Carrier Operations Branch at 202-267-8166.
SAFOSafety Alert for Operators
U.S. Department
of Transportation
Federal Aviation
Administration
SAFO 18003
DATE: 3/26/18
Flight Standards Service
Washington, DC
Source: Federal Aviation Administration — www.faa.gov. Reproduced from the published record; FlightPush adds formatting only.
SAFO 18003