Narrative:

Captain notified flight attendant at 10;000 feet that the flight deck noticed an unusual odor in flight and fumes in cabin. Flight attendant confirmed the smell by flight deck of what seemed to smell like electric burning. Captain notified flight attendant that the aircraft would be returning to original destination (ZZZ). Upon arrival; lieutenant - department of public safety for ZZZ met the aircraft and witnessed the smell of fumes/odor in the cabin. Flight was subsequently canceled. Flight attendant noticed dizziness and light headedness upon deplaning. Safety team administered oxygen; and [medical] inflight was in communication. Flight attendant was transported to medical center for examination and tests performed to assess toxic exposure. Blood pressure was high and heart rate elevated. Once stabilized; physician on duty signed off on return to duty with follow up instructions. Flight attendant completed paperwork with [medical] inflight.no procedures for flight attendants when fumes/odor in cabin are experienced. Flight attendant asked captain if he should don oxygen from pob source in cabin. Captain was unfamiliar with a procedure for flight attendant for procedure for fumes in the cabin. Flight deck has oxygen source available for both pilots. Flight attendant has pob sources for use in the cabin aside from the oxygen source in oxygen masks that are deployed during a decompression. Passengers have no oxygen source other than oxygen masks that are deployed during a decompression. In this incident; the flight for passengers was deemed unsafe; yet the flight attendant was scheduled by the scheduling department to deadhead on a 'ferry flight.' if it was deemed unsafe for passengers; it should subsequently be deemed unsafe for cabin crew. Proper procedures for fumes/odor in the cabin would have prevented. Proper filtration system on aircraft would prevent fumes/odor in cabin thereby preventing exposure to toxic air in the cabin for both employees and passengers. Continuous exposure to toxicities present in fumes/odor in the cabin has the potential of producing long term side effects up to and including chronic and fatal injuries.establish procedures for flight attendants for exposure to fumes in the cabin. (East.g. Don oxygen from pob or other oxygen source). Establish procedures and protocol for medical examination for workplace toxicity hazards due to fume/odor exposure in cabin. Identify filtration system to prevent fumes/odor in cabin to reduce exposures to flight crew and passengers. At a minimum provide cabin crew members with workplace respiratory masks to wear with appropriate filters to minimize continuous exposures to fumes/odor in the cabin to reduce the long term side effects that would result in long term exposure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB-145 Captain reported executing an uneventful air return due to fumes in cockpit. Flight Attendant also experienced fumes in passenger cabin as well as physiological issues which were treated at local medical center.

Narrative: Captain notified Flight Attendant at 10;000 feet that the flight deck noticed an unusual odor in flight and fumes in cabin. Flight Attendant confirmed the smell by flight deck of what seemed to smell like electric burning. Captain notified Flight Attendant that the aircraft would be returning to original destination (ZZZ). Upon arrival; Lieutenant - Department of Public Safety for ZZZ met the aircraft and witnessed the smell of fumes/odor in the cabin. Flight was subsequently canceled. Flight Attendant noticed dizziness and light headedness upon deplaning. Safety team administered oxygen; and [medical] inflight was in communication. Flight Attendant was transported to medical center for examination and tests performed to assess toxic exposure. Blood pressure was high and heart rate elevated. Once stabilized; physician on duty signed off on return to duty with follow up instructions. Flight Attendant completed paperwork with [medical] inflight.No procedures for flight attendants when fumes/odor in cabin are experienced. Flight Attendant asked Captain if he should don oxygen from POB source in cabin. Captain was unfamiliar with a procedure for Flight Attendant for procedure for fumes in the cabin. Flight deck has oxygen source available for both pilots. Flight Attendant has POB sources for use in the cabin aside from the oxygen source in oxygen masks that are deployed during a decompression. Passengers have no oxygen source other than oxygen masks that are deployed during a decompression. In this incident; the flight for passengers was deemed unsafe; yet the Flight Attendant was scheduled by the scheduling department to deadhead on a 'ferry flight.' If it was deemed unsafe for passengers; it should subsequently be deemed unsafe for cabin crew. Proper procedures for fumes/odor in the cabin would have prevented. Proper filtration system on aircraft would prevent fumes/odor in cabin thereby preventing exposure to toxic air in the cabin for both employees and passengers. Continuous exposure to toxicities present in fumes/odor in the cabin has the potential of producing long term side effects up to and including chronic and fatal injuries.Establish procedures for flight attendants for exposure to fumes in the cabin. (E.g. don oxygen from POB or other oxygen source). Establish procedures and protocol for medical examination for workplace toxicity hazards due to fume/odor exposure in cabin. Identify filtration system to prevent fumes/odor in cabin to reduce exposures to flight crew and passengers. At a minimum provide cabin crew members with workplace respiratory masks to wear with appropriate filters to minimize continuous exposures to fumes/odor in the cabin to reduce the long term side effects that would result in long term exposure.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.