Testing of the Airborne Systems Canada Aerial Rescue Kit (ARK)
Jaha Laitinen
Jet fuel of military aircraft is made by refining crude petroleum. The primary ingredient of the fuel is kerosene. In addition, it contains small amounts of many other substances, such as aromatic hydrocarbons, toluene and benzene. It also contains cyclic poly aromatic hydrocarbons such as naphthalene and various additives to inhibit icing, to prevent static charge build-up, avoid oxidation, and to decrease corrosion. The fuel cell maintenance personnel of military aircraft have been found to encounter high dermal exposures to kerosene. Maintenance work requires the workers to enter the fuel cell which always contains residual fuel. The aim of the study was to find out the best available protective overalls for this work (two commercial and one experimental product). Six aircraft mechanics participated in this study and three chemical protective overalls were tested. To ensure maximum protection mechanics used protective respirators, gloves and shoes. Their wrists and ankles were taped with chemical tape to ensure that liquid or vapours did not reach the inside of the overalls. The mechanics' dermal exposure was measured under the protective overalls from their back and chest and also from under the gloves. Their total exposure was measured by urinary excretion of 1naphthol before exposure, immediately after exposure, 6 hours after the end of exposure and the next morning. Despite extensive protection measures, military aircraft mechanics continue to be exposed to kerosene. When mechanics used the best available overalls their exposure decreased 80%, when compared to worst overalls.No abstract was available at the time of publishing.
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